The Lonely King
by Isis Lied
Summary: AU Kaname Kuran finds an enigma in the form of Yuuki Cross, a commoner with a gentle heart. With the shackles of loneliness upon him, will she be able to free the king from his past? Kaname/Yuuki with minor pairings inside.
1. Chapter 1- Prologue

The Lonely King

Summary: AU Kaname Kuran finds an enigma in the form of Yuuki Cross, a commoner with a gentle heart. With the shackles of loneliness upon him, will she be able to free the king from his past? Kaname/Yuuki

A/N: I can't believe I'm actually posting this XD For the most part, I've noticed that the western fandom clearly leans towards Zeki but I guess I'm one of the few who actually likes Yuume XD anyway, reviews and critiques are much obliged; I will not accept flaming (whether it be of Yuume _or _Zeki shippers) so keep that in mind…

Major pairing: Kaname/Yuuki

Minor pairings: Aidou/Yori and Akatsuki/Ruka

Chapter title and quote from the song: Lonesome Dreams by Lord Huron (it's one of my faves!)

Disclaimer: Matsuri Hino owns VK. Not me.

* * *

Chapter 1: Lonesome Dreams

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"I've been dreaming again of a lonesome world where I'm lost…"

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A brunette man sat on the edge of a windowpane, alabaster fingers brushing against the cold glass. Mahogany eyes fluttered close as he tipped his head backwards, letting out a single breath. From the curve of the large, arched window a single crack formed, splintering into a spider web of cuts. Pieces of glass fell onto the wooden floor in a shower of silver, clattering noisily. Immediately, a blonde head poked in through the opposite door.

"Milord, is everything alright? I heard a crash—"

Before the noble could finish his sentence, a hole appeared in the wall next to his head. Crimson eyes glared down at the frightened man.

"Hanabusa, leave. Now." He commanded, voice dripping with authority.

"Y-yes, Milord, p-please excuse me!" Aidou quickly shut the door, shivering with fear. He slumped down against the door, taking in deep, shallow breaths.

"T-that was scary!"

"What did you do this time, Hanabusa?" An orange-haired man approached, walking down the elegant hallway.

"I didn't do anything! I just opened the door and he got upset! Maybe it was because I didn't knock on the door…"

"Uh, Hanabusa, I don't think that's—"

"Quiet, Kain! Next time I'll knock three times so he knows someone's there! Of course, how could I be so stupid? He must get tired of people barging into the throne room without making their presence known!"

"…You're the only one who doesn't knock before entering." Kain muttered under his breath, grabbing the youth by his wrist.

"Come on, the rest of the nobles are already at the meeting. We'll be scolded by Kaname-sama if we don't show up."

"Awww, but Akatsuki, those meetings are always so boring! It's just a bunch of stuffy old men talking about the impending war and economics and other stuff I don't care about. How about we take a trip into the city, undercover? Who knows, we may just find some willing… meals." A flash of crimson invaded his eyes but quickly faded away as he smiled at his cousin.

"…Fine. But, if we get caught, I'm going to say it was all your idea." The bronze-skinned man replied, following after the younger noble. He took one last apologetic glance at the door. _Sorry, Kaname-sama, but someone has to make sure Aidou doesn't get himself killed._

* * *

"Yuuki, what are you doing?" An auburn-haired woman questioned, watching as her friend climbed into a large oak tree.

"There's a kitten stuck in the tree, Yori-chan! I can't just leave it there!" The brunette climbed further, fingers brushing against the animal's head. The black cat let out a hiss, swiping its claws against her outstretched hand. Blood welled from the wound as the girl winced in pain.

"Oww… that was mean, kitty! I'm just trying to save you!" She reached again, wrapping her unwounded hand around its stomach. The animal mewled, kicking against its savior, but Yuuki held on, climbing back to the ground.

"Yuuki… it's getting late. We should go home before it gets dark. You can bring the kitten with you."

"Alright, let's go—" In her distraction the kitten wormed its way out of her grasp, running towards an alleyway.

"W-wait, come back!" Yuuki called out, following after the skittish animal. Yori sighed, taking one last glance at the setting sun before heading towards the alleyway.

The two girls chased after the animal, running through the maze of streets until coming to a dead end. The kitten was nowhere in sight. The pair took deep breaths, steadying their breathing.

"Let's go back, Yuuki. It's dangerous to be out on the streets at night—"

"It most certainly is." An unfamiliar voice cut in.

From the dark two men appeared, wearing what appeared to be clothes of the nobility. Yori immediately stepped in front of the other girl, face impassive.

"Yes. That's why we are leaving." She took the brunette by the hand, passing the two strangers. Before they could leave the alley, a cold hand brushed against her shoulder, spinning her around.

"You know that was pretty rude. You're supposed to bow to nobles, after all." A cocky grin was plastered on his face. The other noble merely looked around nervously, as if trying to appear not involved with the impending confrontation.

"L-let go!" She immediately kicked the man in the shin, freeing herself from his grasp. Quickly, she took Yuuki's hand and led them down the winding streets.

"Thank you, Yori-chan! Those two weren't like others of the nobility. Something seemed… off about them."

The honey-eyed woman nodded in agreement. "That's why I thought it would be better to run."

"Ok, now I'm more than a little pissed off!" A voice boomed from above. The figure jumped from the roof to the cobblestone street, sneering.

The girls ran in the opposite direction only to find the other noble blocking their path.

"…Sorry about this. Sometimes Hanabusa just gets into one of those 'moods.'" He looked up at the moon, trying not to get even more involved. A hint of crimson invaded his amber eyes but he gritted his teeth as his cousin chuckled.

"Now, which one of you is bleeding? I know I smelled a delicious scent before." His once cerulean eyes turned a dark scarlet as he targeted the petite brunette.

"Ah, so it was you! Don't worry, I don't bite… hard." His wide smile revealed a pair of fangs as he approached in a slow, languid manner.

"V-vampire? B-but they don't—can't exist!" Yuuki fell to the ground, clutching her head as a forgotten memory pressed against her eyes. _Blood, snow, a mahogany-eyed man…_

Yori shielded the shivering woman, glaring at the vampire. "I won't let you attack Yuuki. Even if you try to kill me—"

The blonde let out a laugh, clutching at his sides, "Kill you? I wouldn't want to get your unsightly blood on my suit. Besides, it wouldn't be 'trying.' You would be dead in seconds."

The amber-eyed woman slapped the blonde across the cheek, glaring. "Don't you dare underestimate humans."

The slap had its intended effect. The vampire let out a threatening growl, turning his attention to the auburn-haired woman and away from the brunette.

"Wrong move, _human_." He roughly grabbed her shoulders, ice forming under his fingertips.

She struggled futilely in his grip, hazel eyes wide with fear as he lowered his mouth to her neck.

"Aidou. Kain. You've disobeyed my orders yet again." A brunette man appeared on the roof of the nearest building, eyes glowing crimson. Immediately, both vampires fell to their knees, prostrating themselves on the ground.

"We humbly ask for your forgiveness, Kaname-sama." Kain started, only to feel a heavy weight against his shoulders when he tried to look up.

"Y-yes, I apologize for my misdoings, Milord. It will not happen again—"

"You're right. It won't because your punishment will be so severe you won't even _think _about disobeying me again." Both vampires winced at the voice as the man glided to the ground.

"Are you two alright?" He glanced at both of the girls, but his eyes lingered on the brunette. Yori nodded her head, relieved as the ice melted off of her shoulders. Kaname reached out a hand to the woman on the ground, giving a small, somewhat saddened smile.

Hesitantly, Yuuki took his hand as he helped her to her feet. She gasped at his face, cinnamon orbs wide with surprise.

"You are—"

"My name is Kaname Kuran. It seems you've remembered me, Yuuki."

"Y-yes. You were the one who saved me when I was a child lost in the snowstorm, right? There was blood and a man… no, a monster, with fangs."

"I see… your memories have come back. That is correct; I was the one who saved you that night. But, I'm afraid I'll have to erase both of your memories tonight. Though, I am glad that you could remember me fondly, even if it was only for a little while."

Before she could respond he placed his hand on her head, a violet glow erupting from his hand.

"N-no! I don't want to forget… about you." She managed to say before darkness took over her vision. She fell into his arms, head burrowed in his chest. The king brought his lips to her hand as a purple glow covered the cut. The wound eventually closed. He then removed his lips from her feather-soft skin, taking in a slightly shaky breath. Carefully, he placed Yuuki on the ground before walked over to the honey-eyed woman. "Now, it's your turn."

"But, I don't want to forget. I've always known there was something dangerous lurking in the darkness. That there was a reason for the curfew. If you erase my memories it won't be long until I find out the secret again."

"…I will see for myself. If it is true and the existence of vampires is tightly wrapped within your memories than I will have no other choice but to leave you of the memories of tonight. But, you will be closely monitored if that is the case. The existence of our kind cannot become common knowledge."

He placed his hand on her head, closing his eyes as he searched her memories. "It seems that to remove every hint of our existence would only cause you to go into a catatonic-like state. I do not wish to do this so I will set up a guardian of sorts to watch over you."

"I understand, thank you, Milord." She bowed, watching as the man returned to pick up the brunette. He held her bridal-style, turning towards the two kneeling nobles.

"I will take her back to her home. Kain, Aidou, I expect you to return to the castle. I'll explain your punishment later."

They both reluctantly got to their feet, disappearing in the direction of the castle.

"I apologize that I am unable to see you safely to your home, Miss…?"

"Sayori Wakaba. But I go by Yori."

"Well, Miss Yori, I'll make sure your friend gets home safely. I bid you farewell."

Just as he turned to leave the auburn-haired girl called out, "Ah, are you really the king? He's been said to have ruled over this country for over eighty years."

"I am. But, I've been in power for at least three-hundred years." He replied, disappearing into the darkness.

* * *

The king lounged in his throne, a large tome in his lap. He skimmed his fingers against the paper as he read. His thoughts, however, were still on a certain cinnamon-eyed girl. The pureblood paused from his reading when three quick knocks came from the large double-doors.

"Come in." He replied, shutting the book.

Aidou and Kain walked in, bowing before falling to their knees in front of the king. Both looked positively frightened, the blonde vampire willing his teeth to stop chattering as they awaited his ruling.

"Good. You've arrived just on time. I've finally decided on your punishments. Kain, while you didn't come up with the idea or attack anyone you also did nothing to stop your cousin from doing so. As such, you are unable to leave the castle grounds for any reason for a week. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, Kaname-sama."

"You may leave. I wish to speak to Aidou, in private."

The orange-haired man bowed one final time before walking out of the room. Aidou mentally screamed at his cousin for leaving him alone. _You traitor! I'll get you for this later!_

"Aidou. You attacked not one, but two humans in a night. While neither were seriously hurt, I have noticed you've never truly thought of humans as your equals. Merely livestock. You know I wish to bridge the gap between humans and vampires yet you continue to resist. That is why I've decided on the perfect punishment for you. You are to shadow the woman you attacked, Sayori Wakaba, and protect her. Perhaps she can show you the merit in humans."

"B-but, Milord, that's absurd! Why would I follow around some—"

"Enough! If you press any further I have no qualms to sending you to the dungeon for two-hundred years. Be grateful your punishment was not more severe."

The noble bit his tongue, holding back a retort. "Yes, Milord. Thank you for your generosity." He bowed before sprinting out of the room.

Kaname returned to his windowsill, brushing chipped glass from the windowpane. He could feel a tightening in his chest and rested his head against the cool glass, clutching at his chest. His eyes flashed crimson again and a chunk of the wall disintegrated.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a metal tin. He shook a few blood tablets from the container before swallowing them.

The burning feeling in his throat did not lessen.

"Yuuki…" He murmured, mahogany eyes fluttering closed.

* * *

The brunette awoke in her bed, yawning. Stretching out her arms, she padded to her full-length mirror, frowning at the sight. She hadn't changed into her pajamas last night.

"That's funny… it's almost like my dream was real or something." She observed.

While her memories of the night before were somewhat hazy, she couldn't get the sight of a brunette man with mahogany eyes out of her head. Shaking away the thought, she went downstairs.

It did no good to dwell on dreams.

* * *

A/N: Well, here's the prologue! Sorry if it seemed a tad bit boring; I promise thing will get interesting in future chapters. Oh, and I just wanted to note that in this AU Kaname and Yuuki are _not _related so no worries ^^

Anyway, I'll see you guys in Ch.2!

-Isis


	2. Chapter 2- The Stranger

Chapter 2- The Stranger

A/N: Ohmygosh, I can't believe how awesome you guys are! I want to thank everyone who took the time to review Ch.1 as I wasn't expecting such positive reviews! Anyway, without further ado, here's Chapter 2 of 'The Lonely King."

Title/Quote from: The Stranger by Lord Huron (you should definitely check out the song on youtube if you get the chance!)

Disclaimer: VK is owned by Matsuri Hino, not me.

* * *

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"_Now that I've seen your face I'm haunted by the letters of your name…"_

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There was silence as the pureblood rose from his seat to address the Council. He spoke with the utmost formality, although he could not drown out the hint of aggression that was laced in his words.

"I will not agree to this. The decree will surely push our country to the brink of war. I hope you can all understand that I cannot put the denizens of my country—no, my _home_, at risk."

"But, Kaname-sama, this is the perfect opportunity to eliminate both those who would hunt us and those who would hurt the humans we protect. Yes, many human lives would come to an end, but it would ultimately save hundreds of human _and _vampire lives if this tactic comes to fruition."

Aidou rose from his seat, voice low and twisted with disgust, "You fool! How dare you talk back to his Majesty! I will have you hanged at this rate—"

The king raised his hand, scarlet eyes trained to the fuming blonde.

"Enough, Aidou." He commanded.

The cobalt-eyed noble quickly fumbled out an apology. Face flushed, he took his seat in the corner of the room next to his cousin.

Ruka sat on Akatsuki's opposite side, giving what could only be considered a death glare towards Hanabusa.

"What do you think you're doing, idiot! We may be nobles but we don't have a seat on the Council. You've made an open mockery of our Lord!" She seethed, fangs bared.

"Ruka…" Kain started, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Not now, Kain!" She nearly snarled, returning her attention to the surprised blonde. Aidou sat frozen in fear as the woman continued to glare at him, looking as if she would attack and rip out his throat at any moment.

"Ruka, if you don't control yourself we'll be kicked out of the meeting." The orange-haired man reasoned, once again bringing his hands to her shoulders.

She slapped him away, abruptly standing. Many Council members turned to see the only daughter of the Souen family stalk out of the room in a blur of pastel colors, followed by a worried amber-eyed man.

Aidou sat dumbfounded, blinking twice even after the mahogany doors had closed loudly, signaling the vampires' departure. He brought a shaky hand to his throat; he still couldn't believe he was even breathing. It was the first time in years he could ever remember Ruka truly angry and it had shook him to his core.

Before he could even utter a syllable, the noble felt a pressing weight against the back of his head. Immediately, his eyes fluttered to a close as he fell against the row of chairs, sound asleep.

From the far side of the room a hint of a smile appeared on the pureblood's face until he turned his attention back to the gawking Council members.

"Ah, Kaname-sama, not to sound impudent, but are those," the elder paused, as if trying to find a suitable euphemism for 'idiots,' "children really a part of your Court? Surely even you, Milord, grow tired of their antics and constant acts of disobedience?"

The pureblood gave a seemingly polite smile, none in the room noticing that a chunk of the ceiling had disintegrated before he spoke. "My Court members are reliable. They were hand-picked from the highest of noble blood to be my servants. I actually find it quite refreshing when they speak their minds and loosen their tongues. It is an easier charade to keep than that of wolves who would take any opportunity to attack the Shepherd, am I correct?"

A few indignant gasps and even a hiss broke out as the table swarmed with needless chatter.

The king could already feel a headache forming, doing his best to keep up a blank face at the sea of offended vampires.

"S-surely you do not mean that, my Lord? We are looking at the good of the country when we suggest tactics—"

"You suggest tactics that will further your own decaying bloodlines and line your purses with coin. My Court is made up of nobles who embody the title in all sense of the word. They do not care for avarice or fame, but for the greater good of the vampire race. I am in the midst of teaching them to also care for the good of humans—"

Kaname immediately paused when the scent of freshly spilled blood drifted into the room.

* * *

"Let go of me!" The honey-blonde roared, bringer her hand towards the taller man's cheek.

He easily intercepted, grabbing her hand before she could slap him. "Y-you need to calm down, Ruka. What will the Council think—"

"To hell with the Council! They are nothing but wolves out for our precious leader's blood!" Her eyes burned like angry flames as she writhed out of Akatsuki's hold.

She backed into the wall, fangs continuing to lengthen as she let out a snarl. Her eyes flashed crimson, a clear sign of bloodlust. Kain immediately frowned.

"When was the last time you took a blood tablet?" The noble questioned, eyes locked to the woman's face.

"I-I'm fine. Just go away, Akatsuki! I need some time to think… alone." She breathed, pursing her lips to hide her chattering teeth.

"You're obviously not alright. Stay here, I'll get some blood tablets from my room—" He let out a gasp of surprise as the woman pushed him to the ground, face buried in the crook of his neck.

"Ruka, stop! Kaname-sama and the Council are just feet away." He reasoned, a spike of fear rising in his gut. When they were younger, before blood tablets were made, they would occasionally take little, butterfly kisses from each other when they were thirsty. But, they had never shared actual blood. And, if it wasn't bad enough a whole group of stuffy elder vampires (also known as those who only found it acceptable to drink human blood and were only taking blood tablets as to not incur the wrath of their king) were a room away, but there were definitely thoughts he did not want her to see.

If the honey-blonde heard him through her haze of bloodlust, she made no effort to show it. Instead, her head dipped to the base of his neck, tongue lapping against the skin. A single fang trailed against his pulse as he swallowed hard, struggling to keep his breathing steady.

"Ruka…" He warned again, pushing against her. She was immobile, like a block of steel as he vainly tried to wrestle out of her grasp.

This seemed to spark an almost predatory reaction in the woman, fangs finding purchase against his skin, digging in without a hint of gentleness. He let out a groan of pain, eyes twisted shut while the vampire continued to drink. After what seemed like a century, she removed her fangs, licking at the trail of blood from the wound.

It was then that she seemed to snap out of her bloodlust, eyes returning to their natural color.

"Kain? What happened? Why are you—" She brought her hand to her mouth, feeling the warm liquid trickle to the wooden floor.

"I'm so sorry, Kain. I-I didn't mean—I didn't want—" A series of memories fluttered beneath her conscience, causing her to fall to the floor. She saw a sandbox. Promises made over under a blue sky. She felt an undeniable warmth, like that of cradling a gentle flame to her chest. It was an almost painful feeling, so pure and warm… so full of light. When she brought her hand back to her face she felt the warmth of tears dripping down her cheeks.

"Are you alright?" The amber-eyed man questioned, pushing his own pain to the back of his mind, bringing his attention to the beautiful, crying girl. He gently brushed away a tear with his thumb, face twisted with concern.

Before Ruka could respond the oak doors leading to the assembly room creaked open. _Oh shit, _Kain thought, turning his head towards the doors. His shirt collar was up and stained with blood, his own eyes were a red hue, and Ruka was sobbing on the ground. _This does not look good…_

"Ah, Akatsuki, Ruka-san, it's nice to see you guys!" A cheerful blonde bounded towards the pair, oblivious to the heavy atmosphere. For a moment Kain forgot all about the past events as his mind noticed a similarity between the happy vampire running towards them and that of a golden retriever running to its owner.

"Kaname-kun told me to check on you guys! The Council's getting a bit riled up due to the scent of blood so…" He trailed off, finally noticing the tears that were falling down Ruka's cheeks.

"What's wrong, Ruka-san? Did Akatsuki do something to you? But, it looks like you're the one who just had a meal, not him! Ah, this is so confusing!" Takuma rambled on as the two vampires exchanged confused expressions.

The honey-blonde put a hand over her mouth in a vain attempt to contain her laughter. She nearly doubled over until the tears became those of joy, clinging onto the just as surprised vampire. Kain glanced at the laughing woman, biting his own tongue to keep himself from laughing. Only Takuma could turn a tense atmosphere into one of amusement.

"Alright." Kain started, standing up. He held out his hand to help Ruka up, to which she took gratefully. "We understand. I'll go take a shower after I take Ruka to her room."

The pair walked away as the green-eyed man waved frantically at their departure, acting more like a young child than a vampire. _Well, he's never been the scariest vampire anyway, regardless of the situation... _Akatsuki noted, bringing a hand to his neck. He winced at the contact.

It was going to be a _long _night.

* * *

Back in the assembly hall, all eyes turned on the happy blonde as he walked in, smiling at everyone in the room.

"Mission accomplished, Kaname-kun!" Takuma said, taking his seat at the round table. A few indignant gasps were heard due to his utter lack of formality to the king. He was also the only vampire to be both a member of Kaname's Court _and _the Council, so it was understandable that many were envious of his power despite his tender age. Many on the Council merely ignored his presence, while a handful acknowledged his existence, giving polite nods in return. The bubbly vampire smiled wider, fangs showing.

"Now, where were we?" Takuma questioned, turning his attention to the stoic brunette. Their eyes met as the pureblood gave a slight nod. The blonde understood immediately.

"Ah, never mind, this meeting's adjourned! Please, take your coats on the way out and have a good night!"

The group reluctantly filed out of the room, each taking a turn to bow at their king. A vampire with cold, blue eyes paused in front of the pureblood. He held out a hand as a sign of peace, motioning towards the cheerful blonde.

"I wanted to thank you for taking care of my grandson, Milord. He's certainly a handful. I also appreciate that you allowed him to be on both the Council and your own personal Court as it pleases me greatly. I hope that one day you will welcome me as warmly as you did Takuma."

Kaname frowned. "Takuma is on the Court and Council because of his abilities, both as a strategist and his own power as a Level B vampire. You need not think his placement as a favor. You would be sorely disappointed, Ichijou-san."

"O-of course! My apologies, Milord. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will take my leave." He bowed, taking the pureblood's hand.

"Grandfather, what are you doing—"

"It's fine, Takuma. Let him be." The king interrupted, allowing the man to bring his lips to his hand. A hint of fangs could be seen under his thin lips as he reluctantly stood up.

"Thank you, Milord. May you live _forever_." With those ominous words, the elder drifted to the double doors, polished shoes clacking noisily against the wooden floor.

Just as the doors slammed shut, Aidou bolted awake, falling out of the chair and onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Owww…" He mumbled, rubbing his head. Blinking, he turned to see the only other occupants of the room.

"So, how did the meeting go?" He grinned, a lopsided smile on his face.

Suddenly, a chunk of the ceiling fell straight on top of his head.

_He had a strange feeling that it hadn't gone as well as Kaname had hoped…_

* * *

"Ah, Kaname-kun, could I speak with you for a moment?" Takuma asked, knocking on the door to the pureblood's room.

"Come in." He replied.

Pushing open the door he saw that the brunette was lounging on the couch, staring over his chess set. As the vampire approached he noticed a pawn in Kaname's hand. The mahogany-eyed man closed his hand around it, crushing it to ash.

"What do you need, Takuma?" The man questioned, eyes trained to the large, arch-shaped window. He gazed at the moon, unclenching his hand to scatter the broken pieces of the chess piece onto the board.

"Are you okay, Kaname? You've been… different. Distracted. Even more distant than usual. I worry, ya know, as a friend. If you want to talk about something, you can talk to me. Shiki's always said I was a good listener."

The pureblood sighed, running his fingers through his bangs. "It's nothing to concern yourself with, Takuma. I am well, so you do not need to burden yourself with—"

"Kaname, I've been your friend for the past fifteen years. I can tell when something's bothering you. Please, tell me." The emerald-eyed man reasoned, sitting beside the man.

Kaname sighed. When Takuma put his mind to something it was nearly impossible to stop him.

Reluctantly, the king spoke. "I worry about many things. The threats of war. The Council betraying me. The safety of the humans in my kingdom. And, now, it seems that the blood tablets are not sating my thirst."

"What? But, you were the one who created them! Didn't you test them on yourself first?"

"I did. I do not understand why they have stopped working. Regardless, the thirst is interfering with my work. I worry I will not be able to control my power for much longer. There may be a time when I will need to go back to sleep. If that happens, Takuma, I want you to take my place on the throne—"

"You're speaking nonsense, Kaname! You are the _last _pureblood! I am just a noble; I can't control an entire kingdom on my own. No one would listen to me! Let me help you now, instead."

The blonde pulled down the collar of his shirt, a determined look in his eyes.

"Takuma, that's not necessary—"

"Kaname, for as long as I've known you, you've never once done something for yourself. Could you stop being selfless for five seconds and help yourself for a change? Besides, isn't this what friends are for?" He grinned.

The last pureblood looked away. "I do not deserve such kindness. I was—I am not _good_. In my wandering I have done deplorable, despicable things. I've left villages in smoking ruin. I've stolen thousands of lives. I do not want to be a monster anymore. But, the blood on my hands cannot be washed away; no amount of good deeds will bring back the dead."

"Honestly, Kaname, I don't care about what you've done in the past. The 'you' now is not evil. You protect the weak and keep peace in the land. You have never been a monster; you wouldn't feel remorse if you were."

The king did not respond for a long time, gaze shifting from the moon to the noble's slender neck.

"…Takuma, do you know why there is only one pureblood alive?"

The noble shook his head.

"It is because I killed all of them."

* * *

"This is—" Kain started, standing up.

"Ichijou's blood…" Shiki murmured, turning towards the pig-tailed girl to his side.

"Do you think he got a paper cut?"

"If it was a paper cut it would have healed by now." Rima supplied, a hint of worry in her voice.

"I'm sure he's fine, he's Ichijou, after all." Aidou commented, lounging on the sofa.

"You don't sound worried at all. Don't you consider him a friend?" Ruka questioned, glaring at the blonde boy. She was still angry about the 'incident' that had happened earlier that night.

"O-of course I care! I just don't want to jump to conclusions." He responded, clearly flustered.

"Let's just wait till tomorrow night. It's almost morning… and I'm sleepy." The red-haired noble suggested, walking away from the drawing room towards his bedroom.

"S-Shiki? Are you sure?" Rima asked, confusion clear on her face. He simply nodded, lethargically walking down the hallway as the girl followed quietly behind.

_Takuma's too strong to be hurt by someone else… so he has to be okay._

* * *

A/N: Ah, sorry about the lack of Yuume in this chap (it seemed to be run by RuKain, lol) ^^ But I promise a cute Kaname/Yuuki scene in chap 3!

I just wanted to make a note about the nature of this AU. If it isn't obvious, it's taking place in kind of the same universe as VK, but with a few noticeable differences. So, expect the same general atmosphere/techonology shown in the anime/manga. Oh, and just a friendly reminder that VK takes place in the _future _canonically, so just remember that when Kaname's past is eventually revealed :P

Thanks again for the kind reviews! See ya in Chapter 3, where Yuuki will make an appearance and Aidou acts like, well, Aidou XD

-Isis


	3. Chapter 3- Bleeding Out

Chapter 3- Bleeding Out

A/N: You guys are too awesome, I swear! Your reviews gave me enough motivation to write another chap (even though my birthday was yesterday, lol) because I just couldn't leave you guys hanging. I am delighted that so many of you like my story and I am genuinely humbled :3

I hope this chap sates your Yuume needs (cause I definitely need it so much now that the series is over)! Oh, and there's a bit of Aidori in this chap so I hope you guys enjoy it :D

P.S. if you enjoy Aidou/Yori you should check out my other VK fic, _Walk the Moon_. Let's just say it involves Aidou, a car accident, and a taser. It's already got three chaps and has Kaname/Yuuki as a minor pairing!

Title/Quote Influenced by: Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons (and it's kind of ironic if you think of it in regards to the last chap of VK, lol)

Disclaimer: Only in my dreams do I own VK.

* * *

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"When the sky turns gray and everything is screaming I will reach inside just to find my heart is beating…"

.

The usually cheerful blonde woke with a groan, uncharacteristically turning away from the fleeting light of the setting sun. Turning to his side he could see a chess set devoid of pieces and the events of the night before quickly swam to the surface of his consciousness.

"Kaname?" Takuma questioned, noticing the wool blanket that had been draped over his form. He shifted to a sitting position, scanning the room for the brooding pureblood.

His eyes flitted towards the crimson coffin to his right, the lid partially open to reveal the sleeping face of the king. He seemed much paler than usual, skin a sickly translucent alabaster. It worried Takuma greatly. But, he decided to let it go in the hopes that he had been imagining the change in pallor of his friend.

"Kaname-kun, I doubt you really need to continue sleeping in that coffin every day; I don't think any stuffy Council members will barge in to make sure you're sleeping in a coffin instead of a comfortable bed." He teased.

The king let out a tired breath, mahogany eyes fluttering open as he reluctantly rose from his coffin, pulling the lid off with a thud.

"The vampire race looks to me, the last living pureblood, as a symbol of power and guidance. I have to appear as the vampires of old. Regardless, it would do no good to make a habit of sleeping in… more comfortable places. The Council is barely tolerating substituting human blood with synthetic tablets. I do not want to give them another reason to disobey me."

The blonde attempted a light chortle only to cringe at the pain that shot towards his neck. When he brought his hand to the wound he was surprised to see that it had already closed, but the ghost of Kaname's fangs could still be felt digging into his skin.

A hint of remorse passed by the pureblood's eyes at the action. The noble noticed this and quickly tried to play off the pain as a result of sleeping on the couch. "Heh, I'm definitely buying you a bed for your birthday. I know you like to sleep on the couch sometimes when there's a full moon, but geeze, doesn't your neck start to hurt?"

The pureblood did not respond, instead turning to his armoire to pull out a long, dark overcoat and a simple, gray long-sleeve. He twisted his fingers into the fabric, eyes covered by his fringe as he looked to the floor.

"…I am sorry, Takuma. I took too much blood last night. As a result I had to give you some of my blood in return. Your sacrifice became null due to my own selfishness."

"Kaname…" Takuma started, emerald eyes wide with shock. Spilling the blood of a pureblood was a crime punishable by death; surely someone in the castle noticed the brunette's scent and would eventually put the pieces together.

"I already know what you are thinking, Takuma. You will not be punished. I am the king, after all and you did nothing wrong."

"T-that's not what I'm worried about! The Council's been at your throat, both literally and figuratively, for the past couple of years, trying to get you to share your blood. They would cause an anarchy if they found out you gave your blood willingly to someone.

The blonde ran his fingers through his hair. The problems just kept piling up—from the threat of war at their borders, to the hesitant treaty between the vampires and the hunters, to the ideal lifestyle of the humans in the kingdom being crushed under the weight of the other problems—

The king ambled towards the obviously flustered noble, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. His eyes paused at the blonde's slender neck before returning to look at his face with a warm, albeit saddened smile.

"Do not burden yourself with these problems, Takuma. I will not be bullied by such pests—"

Kaname paused mid-sentence, gaze drifting towards the door.

"Is something wrong, Kaname-kun?" He asked, face riddled with confusion.

"…it is nothing. Now, I do believe it is about time for breakfast. Do you wish to share a light meal with me, perhaps a few pastries and tea?"

Takuma nodded eagerly, following the pureblood out of his room.

"Wow, I would have let you drink my blood ages ago if it meant you would be this nice to me!" He spoke in a boisterous tone, much too loud for the king's liking.

"Takuma…" Kaname warned.

"O-oh, sorry! I kinda forgot that was supposed to be a secret! Whoops! He awkwardly scratched the back of his head, silently praying that the pureblood wouldn't do a one-eighty and slap him (he had heard from Aidou that they hurt more than having a tree hurled at you).

"It is alright… I do lose my temper more often than I should."

The blonde nodded in confirmation, suddenly making a realization. "You can read my thoughts—"

"Usually, it would require some effort to read a Level B's thoughts, but we may have unintentionally created a blood bond last night. I am curious, can you hear any of my thoughts? I have never made a blood bond before."

The emerald-eyed man turned toward his friend, shutting his eyes and listening. He could feel the prickle of tears beneath his eyes and quickly removed himself from the king's consciousness.

"…I can't hear anything, but I can feel a heavy burden. A sadness. What happened, Kaname, to turn you from a killer to a man of peace?"

The king did not respond for a long time, stopping in the center of the hallway.

"It is an old story. But, it is one I am not quite ready to share."

* * *

Aidou slumped behind the door to his room, taking in deep, shaky breaths.

"Hey, Hanabusa. How was the talk with Kaname-sama?"

"O-oh, about that… he was asleep so I didn't get to talk to him."

The orange-haired man quirked an eyebrow. Their leader was usually the first to wake, even beating Takuma who actually enjoyed the sunshine.

"I see… so, why are you out of breath?"

"Geeze, Akatsuki, why are you so damn nosy!? It has nothing to do with you, so could you just drop it?" The noble's tone stung, but his cousin easily saw through the façade. Instead of pressing the youth for more answers, he instead returned to his book, peering at the blonde as he plopped to his bed. Aidou shifted to his side, reaching into his breast-pocket to pull out an aquamarine marble.

_What's going on, Kaname-sama?_

"Alright, sorry for bothering you." Kain replied.

"It's fine. Sorry I snapped. I'm just tired. I didn't sleep well because of—"

"You smelled it too? I thought I was dreaming."

Aidou dropped his gaze to the floor. "Yah, I smelled it. The blood of a pureblood."

…

(next morning)

The cinnamon-eyed girl chatted animatedly with her friend as they walked through the crowded market stalls, pulling the smaller girl by her wrist.

"So, Yori-chan, I was thinking we should go to the café down the street and get some ice-cream, my treat!"

The auburn-haired girl smiled. "That sounds nice. Thank you, Yuuki."

The girls walked through the throng of street vendors, doing their best to weave through the crowds. Just as they had made it to a relatively empty spot in the town square, a cold hand brushed against Yori's shoulder.

"Ah, sorry." A somewhat familiar voice said. Turning, she saw a flash of blonde hair and piercing, aquamarine eyes. Then, the man was gone, lost in the sea of people.

"Yori? Is something wrong?" Yuuki questioned, confused as to why her friend had stopped in the middle of the street.

"It's nothing." She reassured, continuing to walk down the cobblestone path.

From the corner of her eye she could see the vampire tailing them, staying far enough back for it to not be suspicious, but close enough as to not lose the pair through the winding streets. But, why was he following them? Or, more importantly, what was he doing following them during the day?

Sure enough, the sun was still high in the air, suspended in a backdrop of blue. If he were trying to attack them again it would have been wiser to do so at night. So, why?

Yori's mind replayed the vents of that faithful night in her head, remembering a crucial moment.

"_I will set up… a guardian of sorts to watch over you._

The honey-eyed girl frowned. She was fine having someone watch over her, make sure she didn't spill the secret or get into any trouble, but she was not okay with it being the same guy who had tried to rip out her throat a few nights ago.

"Uh, Yuuki, sorry but I just remembered that there's something I have to do." She said apologetically.

The brunette gave a wide grin. "It's alright, Yori-chan! I'll just go with you another time." The two girls parted, both waving goodbye as they went their opposite ways.

As Yori dashed down a side street she saw the blonde man frown, breaking into a light jog to keep up with her. She ran faster, willing her lungs to keep pushing out air while she careened through the empty backstreets. She was never exactly 'fit' per se; she much enjoyed the company of a good book instead of jogging. If it was Yuuki, though, she could probably run a full sprint for hours and then reply that it was the most fun she had all week. Yori loved the girl dearly, but the differences that separated them were obvious.

Yori was quiet, shy, a bookworm at heart. She enjoyed the tranquility of a warm, summer day, reading a book as a gentle breeze drifted through her window.

Yuuki was a wild spirit with a gentle heart. She loved to talk, run, anything that made her feel animated—alive. She enjoyed taking early morning runs through the fields behind her house, dashing through beds of sunflowers as the sun lazily made its way up into the sky.

The woman shook her head, focusing her attention to the road in front of her. She skidded to a halt in front of the same dead end from three nights before. She held her breath. Either her plan was going to answer a lot of her questions… or get her killed. Yori sincerely hoped for the former.

Turning, she saw that the man was approaching slowly, hands in the air as a sign of peace.

"Why are you following me?" The question drifted into the air with little warning, amber orbs emotionless and cold.

The noble looked away, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "It is an order from the king. You could even call it a punishment."

"…I see." She replied, looking up towards the clear, blue sky.

The vampire furrowed his brow. He had expected fear mixed with a little captivation and awe. It wasn't like he was threatening her or anything, so why did she seem so cold and unmovable?

Hesitantly (although he _never _hesitated, or, at least, he'd never admit to it), he walked closer, taking in her appearance.

Without the red hue of bloodlust fogging his vision he saw that the girl was, in fact, prettier than he remembered.

A short mop of curly, golden-orange hair shined in the gentle rays of the sun, honey orbs trained to his face as he approached. Her pale lips tilted downwards into a frown and he immediately sucked in a breath, awaiting some kind of rant on his earlier behavior, or at least some kind of belligerence that told him she was _very _unhappy with him. It did not come.

Instead, it seemed that the woman was studying him, scanning his face for something. It was slightly irritating for the noble; he had never been so obviously scrutinized. Most people just noticed his beauty and left it at that, never once searching beneath the surface, beneath his superficial looks and orchestrated lines.

"W-what?" He managed to splutter out, exasperated at the growing silence.

"I just noticed that you really don't look much like a monster."

_Ouch._

"That's because I'm not." He replied indignantly. How dare this human make a mockery of him! He was Hanabusa Aidou, only son and heir of the noble Aidou family. Surely this human knew something about proper breeding and pedigree and—

"I am technically a noble too, or at least in name." Yori supplied, as if reading his mind.

"What do you mean 'by name'?

"Ah, well, I left the nobility, sort of. I'm still on good terms with my father, but I'm trying to live on my own, without using my name to get what I want. I am Sayori Wakaba, but I have been masquerading as Yuuki's adopted sister, Sayori Cross, for a few years now."

The vampire's eyes widened. Giving up her title, all the fame and accolades, for nothing but a feeling of accomplishment?

He stood speechless, unable to even wrap his head around the notion of being anything other than nobility.

"I guess not all nobles are vampires, huh?"

This roused a response from the blonde as he quickly fixed on a smile. "Nope. Most are human. Those who are vampires and also nobles have a difficult time keeping their nature a secret, considering the spotlight they are usually given. Although, it wouldn't be uncommon to find a lineage of humans who had vampires somewhere in their family tree. Who knows, you're great, great grandfather could have been a Level-B."

"So, there is a class system for vampires as well, I figured as much." She replied, moving to rest her back against the brick wall. Hanabusa followed suit, keeping a few inches away from the girl as to not frighten her. He frowned at his own behavior. Since when did he care about making someone else comfortable?

"…Could you tell me?"

"Hmm? He murmured, returning his attention to the auburn-haired woman. She didn't seem scared in the slightest; in fact, she seemed almost bored with his presence, eyes trained to the sky in gentle contemplation.

"The class system for vampires. And the nobility surrounding the king. I understand though if Kaname-sama doesn't want you to tell me."

The blonde waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, it's fine. He didn't say anything about not telling you so it should be fine." _He hoped._

"Anyway, first, we have the king, Lord Kaname. I'm relatively young in vampire years so I wasn't alive when he first took the throne, but from the books I've read, there seems to be no indication of a war since he's ruled the kingdom. He is the oldest vampire in existence, with some books recording him to be over ten-thousand years old. No one knows the exact date in which he took over as king, but it's estimated to be about three-hundred years ago. And… that's about all I have access to, in terms of information in regards to Kaname-sama."

"That's quite impressive, ah…" She suddenly realized he knew her name but she didn't know his.

"I apologize for my rudeness. I am Hanabusa Aidou."

"Nice to meet you, officially, Aidou-san."

He gave a lopsided grin. "You don't have to be so formal, we're both nobles, after all. You can call me Hanabusa." _Why did I just tell her that? She's a human!_

"…I'd prefer to call you Aidou-kun, then."

"Fine. I'll call you Yori-chan, then. It's what your friend called you that night, isn't it?"

She sighed. "Yes, although I don't feel very comfortable with you call me something so informal—"

"Too bad, Yori-chan! It has a nice ring to it so you'll just have to deal with it!" He laughed.

"Oh, I forgot! You wanted to know more about the class system right? First, we have the Court and the Council. I'm one of the only seven people who are in the king's royal Court." He bragged, hoping to see some other emotion other than boredom flitter across her face. She remained neutral.

"Go on, please."

"Alright. Those in his Court are among his most trusted servants. We live solely to serve the king. Then, you have the Council. They are _supposed _to have the vampire race's best intentions at heart." His voice immediately soured at the name.

"In my opinion, they are a bunch of old fools who are stuck in dead end ways. If we followed them it would surely lead to the destruction of the entire vampire race. They believe in all the old, vampire crap, like sleeping in coffins, not being able to attack anyone wearing a cross, and the worst, killing when feeding."

"But, don't you believe that too, Aidou-kun? About feeding on humans…"

He scoffed. "I don't believe in murder! Sure, a drink here and there is nice, but I've never killed a human! Usually, it's a willing participant and afterwards I just erase their memories, simple."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Last time I checked, you tried to forcibly bite us. There was no _willingness_ at all."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "I kind of lost my cool after you slapped me. It hurt, ya know." He sounded much akin to a spoiled child complaining about having his candy taken away.

"Well, sorry that I didn't want your fangs in my neck."

The man looked away. "Look, I'm sorry, alright!" We've had to switch to using only blood tablets and I'm still not used to them. I was thirsty and wasn't thinking straight. Usually, my natural charm and charisma would make the victim willing."

Before she could stop it, a small giggle passed her lips, causing her to put one hand over her mouth to keep the sound from escaping.

He stared perplexedly at the auburn-haired girl. "What's so funny?"

"Sorry, Aidou-kun. I just wouldn't call nearly freezing a girl in an ice block as charismatic or charming."

The noble blushed, looking away. "….Whatever. I was blinded by bloodlust. If I wanted to, I could definitely make you fall in love with me."

The honey-eyed girl rolled her eyes. "I think we're getting a bit off topic. It's getting late and now I know it's not smart to stay out at night. Perhaps we can finish this conversation at a different time?"

"Sure. Let me make sure you get home safely. Kaname-sama would kill me if something happened to you." But, if the noble was being completely honest with himself, he would have walked her home out of his own free will. Because, for some reason, there was something captivating about the emotionless, doll-like girl.

_I wonder what she looks like when she gives a genuine smile…_ He immediately stopped, shaking his head as he followed a few steps behind Yori.

He was doing this as punishment so he definitely shouldn't be enjoying his conversations with an insignificant human girl!

* * *

Yuuki spent a few more hours shopping around the stalls, picking up a few items before stopping to rest on a stone bench. The sun was just sinking below the horizon and for some reason she felt a spike a fear at the back of her mind. She wanted to get up, to walk back to her home before it got dark, but she was so tired… perhaps a little nap and then she would be able to walk back home. Rationalizing her actions, the girl let her eyes flutter close as the town square slowly became deserted.

The king was at her side in minutes, frowning slightly.

"Careless…" He murmured, moving to gently shake the girl awake. Just as he placed one gloved hand on her shoulder she whispered out his name, titling her head to the side. It revealed her slender neck and soon thoughts of blood invaded his vision. He fought against the beast, clamping his mouth shut despite the ache in his fangs as he slowly picked her up.

"Yuuki, why do you pain me so?" He whispered through clenched teeth, keeping his head towards the road and not to the sleeping girl in his arms.

A memory he had long sought to forget swam to the surface, causing the man to nearly double over in pain. Instead, he tightened his grip on the girl, steeling his eyes forward.

* * *

"_Kaname…" A sleepy voice said._

_The man turned his head slightly to look at the woman. Her long, brown hair danced in the slight breeze, teasing his cheeks. He continued to walk through the desert with her on his back, the sun slowly peaking above the horizon. He crossed many dunes, finally coming across a seemingly abandoned town. He could taste blood in his mouth as he bit his tongue. This was the place of his birth, now reduced to ash._

"_Thank you, for always protecting me. I'll never forget you… even when I eventually die."_

_The man gave a sad smile. "I won't let you die, Yuuki…"_

* * *

A/N: I'm a horrible person for leaving it at that cliffhanger, aren't I? Sorry that the Yuume part was so short in this chap! The next one will be mostly Yuume so stay tuned!

Oh, and Takuma deserves more love! He needs like the best friend ever award for being able to be Kaname's friend for so long, lol (I love Kaname, but he literally has a list of problems).

Anyway, I can't promise that updates will always be this fast, but I hope you will wait patiently for the next chap! Thanks again for all the kind words!

-Isis


	4. Chapter 4- Nothing Left to Say

Chapter 4- Nothing Left to Say  
A/N: Whoo! More flashbacks! This chap will give a little more info on Kaname and Yuuki's past :3  
Well, without further ado, here is Chapter 4 of 'The Lonely King!'

Warning: Past!Kaname is a lot different from canon!Kaname so I can't really do anything about the OOC-ness other than to point out that there was probably a time in his long, long life where he was cruel/evil.

Song/Title Influenced by: Nothing Left to Say by Imagine Dragons

* * *

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_"If you could only save me, I'm drowning in the waters of my soul..."_

_._

The pureblood's fingers dug into the fabric of the sleeping girl's clothes as the vision quickly dispersed. She nuzzled into his chest unconsciously, letting out a content sigh despite the king's discomfort. He continued to walk slowly through the empty streets, holding the human bridal style. She mumbled his name yet again in her sleep, fingers lacing themselves into the lapels of his trench coat. He frowned, mahogany eyes cast to the petite woman in his arms.

Hesitantly, he brushed a few loose bangs from her face. Immediately, the brunette's face twisted in pain, breathing becoming erratic and irregular. Kaname gently placed her onto the grass, watching as her heart returned to its regular rhythm, fluttering softly against her ribcage. He let the sound fill his ears, allowing himself a moment of respite. She was alive. And he would finally fulfill his promise to her.

"Do you remember, Yuuki? How we met all those centuries ago?"

* * *

_The vampire fell onto the sand, squinting in the light of the sun. He wanted to move, to find a shelter somewhere from the dead heat but he couldn't even move his limbs enough to burry himself into the sands. The wound in his chest had begun to bleed, rivulets of crimson seeping into the ground. Weak and starving, the pureblood closed his eyes in defeat. This would be his end; alone, buried in an ocean of sand._

_Just as he lost consciousness he swore he heard the flutter of a heartbeat._

* * *

_When he awoke it was night. A campfire was roaring somewhere to his right. Turning to look forward he met the cinnamon eyes of a woman with long, dark tresses._

_"Ah, you're awake! I'm glad! I was worried you wouldn't wake up again! I heard stories that vampires could sleep for centuries and I, unfortunately, do not have that much time to watch over you."_

_Immediately, his senses were assaulted by the sweetest scent. He could smell the intoxicating scent of roses and his fangs immediately ached, lengthening as he focused his eyes on the petite woman. Crimson stole across his vision, blanketing his world in a red hue. The girl didn't seem surprised in the slightest, gaze fixed to the fire._

_"It's not wise to turn your gaze away from a monster." He spoke, voice wavering on a growl._

_She smiled. "You're probably right, but I'll take my chances."_

_"Very foolish. Do you think I won't kill you just because you saved me?"_

_"No. It just wouldn't do you any good. I know all about you, Mr. Vampire. You enjoy seeing your victims in pain, shivering in fear as you take away their lives. Sorry, but I'm not really one for theatrics."_

_He let out a deep growl, lunging forward only to suck in a breath of pain as he collapsed back into the sand. Blood could be seen seeping through the bandages on his chest._

_"Come on, Mr. Vampire! I just spent like an hour bandaging you and now you've gone and reopened your wounds. Sit still. I'll fix it."_

_The man sighed in exasperation. "I would prefer to be called something else. And if you come any closer I won't hesitate to sink my fangs into your neck."_

_The girl waved her hand dismissively. "If you do that then you won't have anyone to bandage your wound. Just take it easy from all the killing and murdering for a day, alright? Besides, you haven't even told me your name."_

_The pureblood paused, "... If I had a name, I do not remember it."_

_The girl gasped. "No name? That's horrible! No wonder you go around eating people all the time! Here, let me think..." She placed a finger to her chin, eyes shut in concentration. "Alright, I got it! How about Kaname? I'm Yuuki Kuran, by the way."_

_"I don't need to know the name of my next meal."_

_"Whatever you say, Kaname! I know deep down you're probably lonely! Don't worry though, I'm lonely too!"_

_"...You are the most infuriating human I've ever had the displeasure of meeting."_

_The brunette laughed, walking over to the man. She bent down, placing a warm hand against the bandages of his chest. She felt a heartbeat and smiled. "Really? I'm sure you'll miss me one day!"_

* * *

The girl woke to the tickling sensation of grass against her bare legs. The world spun as she let out a groan, rubbing her temples. Her head ached and she had the distinct feeling that she had forgotten something, no, someone important.

"I see you're awake."

A somewhat familiar voice drifted through the night air, startling the girl. She turned to see a handsome man with scarlet eyes. His gaze seemed sad, almost melancholy as he offered a hand. She took it gratefully, feeling the coldness of his skin.

"H-have we met before? You seem familiar..."

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not, miss. I found you collapsed here. It is not safe to wander the streets at night."

She blushed at his concerned gaze. "S-sorry, I must have dozed off..."

Yuuki brushed off dirt from her white dress, thanking the man. He held up a hand. "I have no need for your thanks, as long as you promise to go straight home."

The brunette nodded, waving as she walked away. Yuuki turned again to see him smiling sadly at her departure. _Why does he look so sad? Like there's a burden so heavy that it weighs the very air around him..._

Just as she rounded the corner the pureblood collapsed onto the ground, fingers curling into the earth. He let out gasps, eyes flashing crimson while tremors shook his chest. His heart slowed until he could barely hear it beating, weakly thumping to his shallow breaths.

A voice in the back of his head spoke darkly. _Only the blood of the person you love will quench your thirst._

"No..." He growled through clenched teeth, fangs lengthening. For the first time in three-hundred years he felt the urge to sink his teeth into the nearest warm bodied human. Instead, he brought his fangs to his hand, biting through the glove and into the skin with one swift movement.

The blood did nothing but strengthen his desire, gaze becoming crimson as he backed into the large oak. Pain shot through every cell of his body as he pressed himself against the tree, splinters of wood piercing through his gloves.

"Kaname! Kaname, what's wrong?" A concerned voice broke through his haze of bloodlust.

"Takuma?" He managed to gasp out, falling forward again to the dirt.

"I felt a searing pain! Are you alright?"

The pureblood was unable to respond, eyes fluttering close as if his body had shut down like a defense mechanism. But, the _other _voice still remained.

_You know what you have to do, Kaname... Did you think you would be able to annihilate all the purebloods? We will exist inside of you... forever._

"Be quiet, Rido. Ghosts should stay dead."

A resounding chuckle could be heard. _As stubborn as always, Kaname. Why do you try so hard to fight what you are? I remember when we were companions, when we would hunt together, relish in the screams of our prey. We would paint the towns in blood and laugh at the carnage. It was all great fun until you changed because of that woman._

"What we did was wrong. We had no right to take their lives—"

_Please, spare me your faulty philosophies. We have always been above humans. We do not coexist. Love is meaningless. Even now, you're true desires show, my king._

"No... you are wrong. We have always been 'below' humans. We are monsters animated by the death of others. Coexistence may be impossible, but I will hold on to that _hope _because I want to be more than a walking corpse."

* * *

He awoke to darkness.

Kaname pushed against the palpable dark, fingers finding purchase against a wooden lid. So, someone had put him in his coffin. He slid the lid off with ease, narrowing his eyes at the intense sunlight that had filtered through his window. Turning to his left he saw a sleeping figure on his couch, curled up in a ball.  
A few blonde curls could be seen under the blankets, revealing the occupant to be Takuma. Soft snores passed through the noble's lips as he shifted in his sleep to face away from the window and its harsh light.

Kaname paused, returning to his coffin after shutting the drapes. He felt no need to wake his friend and decided instead to return to his slumber. Surprisingly, the thirst had lessened, allowing the king a peaceful sleep for the first time in weeks.

Emerald eyes fluttered open, flashing crimson. _I won't let you carry this burden alone, Kaname._

* * *

The petite brunette jumped through the open window, landing neatly to the side of the wooden desk. A man with long blonde hair sighed, removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. He loosened the ribbon that held his hair up, letting the strands fall gracefully to his shoulders.

"Yuuki, I've told you many times, you can go through the front door."

She stuck out her tongue childishly. "Sorry, Cross-san, but maybe you should start closing your windows."

His cool demeanor immediately broke as he began to cry big alligator tears. "M-my darling daughter won't even call me 'Papa' anymore! And now she's talking back to me! Zero-kun, Ichi-kun, Yuuki's being mean to me again!"

The doors to the office opened loudly as the silver-haired twins entered. The older twin brought a fist down on the crying man's head. "Face it, Cross. The midget's growing up. Well, mentally anyway."

"H-hey, I've gotten taller too!" She pouted, moving to lightly punch the man in the easily blocked it, face remaining impassive as he held her back.

"Onii-san, you shouldn't be so mean to Yuuki!" Ichiru said, successfully pulling the two apart.

The brunette blinked in realization. "Ah, that reminds me, Cross-san. I came here to ask you about something."

He sniffled in response. "W-what do you want, my darling daughter?"

"I met this guy on the way home. He looked really familiar. He had dark brown hair and mahogany eyes. Does that ring a bell at all?"

The flaxen-haired man plastered on a smile. "Nope! Can't say that I have. Anyway, Yuuki, I need to talk to your brothers, in private."

She nodded in understanding. "Alright, I'm heading to bed. G'night… Dad, Zero, Ichiru."

They all said their goodnights, with the blonde man waving frantically at her departing figure. "Yay! You finally called me father! Good night, Yuuki! Sleep well!"

As the door closed his face twisted to one of intense concern. His tone became serious as he spoke, "I'm not ready to let her go yet…"

* * *

The cerulean-eyed noble casually walked through the town, hands in his pocket. The sun glared down at him as he traversed the shops, turning through the winding streets until he stopped in front of a modest home. He stood awkwardly, bringing a hand up to knock on the door.

A few moments passed until the door opened to reveal an auburn-haired girl dressed in a simple white blouse and a long, yellow skirt. She had a book in one hand and a pair of glasses in the other.

"Aidou-kun, what are you doing here?"

_Good question…_

"Ah, I was just told by Kaname-sama to stop by and see how you are faring." He crossed his fingers behind his back.

"Really? How considerate of him. I'm doing just fine as you can see, so you can tell him not to worry—"

"Could I come in?" he interrupted, blurting out the question. He immediately wanted to cover his mouth at the outburst. Since when did he care about some human—

"Sure. Do I need to formally invite you in or something? I've seen some movies about vampires not being able to cross thresholds without an invitation."

He snorted. "Nah. I was just being polite." The vampire easily brushed past the girl, walking into the drawing room. He immediately plopped down on the couch, making himself at home.

"So, do you have any questions? About vampires, I mean. We didn't finish the class system last time."

She sighed, returning her book to the large bookcase before sitting in the armchair opposite of the blonde. "There was something, actually. I can remember as a child being invited to the castle. It was some sort of gala. I remember that there was a middle-aged man there who went by the name of Kaname Kuran and everyone addressed him as king."

Aidou laughed. "Kaname-sama's true identity can't be revealed to the general public. That's why we have a figure-head, or, in other words, a decoy. Only vampires of Level-C status or higher know the truth about the king and only a handful of nobles and the Council have ever seen him in person."

The girl paused to absorb the information. "...Alright. That's understandable; he can move around freely that way. But, what do you mean by Levels?"

"It's a hierarchy, if you will. At the top of the pyramid you have purebloods- well, only Kaname, really. He's killed everyone else. Then, you have Level-B's, like me. Our blood is almost one-hundred percent vampire, with little to no human blood in our lineage. We are the most powerful, aside from purebloods so we take the title of 'noble,' much like humans who are of pure bloodlines take the same title. Then we have the Level-C's. They are the most common type of vampire, relating in the same social standards as human commoners. They are fairly weak and hold little to no powers. The lowest on the pyramid are Level-D's. They are few as only purebloods can turn humans into vampires and Kaname-sama's the only one left. Their power varies based on the pureblood who turns them, but, for the most part, are usually somewhere between Level-C's and Level-B's in terms of strength. They are treated rather poorly by vampire standards, however, as they are not of vampiric birth. But, there is another class that is treated even worse: Level-E's. They are to be killed on the spot."

"But, why?"

"The E stands for 'End.' Eventually, a human who is not given the blood of the pureblood who bit them will degenerate until they are beasts driven only by the scent of blood."

* * *

The red-headed noble paused from his idle daydreaming to watch as his blonde friend began rummaging frantically through his drawers.

"Are you looking for something, Takuma?" He drawled, sitting up from the mattress.

"I-It's nothing to worry about, Shiki. I'm just looking for my… uh, bloo—I mean manga! Yah, I lost a volume and thought I might have stored it in my drawer."

The cobalt-eyed vampire responded in a monotone, "You're a horrible liar, ya know."

The usually cheerful vampire finally turned around to allow the youth to see his face. His normally emerald eyes were a dark crimson, contrasted by the sharp fangs that peeked from under his lips.

"…Here." The crimson-haired boy tossed a metal tin towards the shaking blonde, returning his gaze to the ceiling.

The noble quickly shook out three tablets, not even bothering to dissolve them in water as he quickly swallowed them. "Thanks."

"That was kind of scary… you weren't smiling."

This roused a pained chuckle from the blonde. "Sorry, I'll try to smile even in my bloodlust next time."

"I've never seen you thirsty before. Are you okay?"

"Of course! I just hadn't taken a tablet in a couple weeks. I've been so busy with the Council lately that I just kind of forgot." He lied, falling back onto his own bed.

The red-headed noble felt that something was amiss with his friend, but he merely sighed, turning to his side and away from the other vampire.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the formatting; I typed this on my Ipod and sending it to my email/Word messed it up really bad XD Oh, and I hope this is making some sense. I know the jumping around/breaks can be confusing but I hope it's not too confusing ^^'

And yes, everyone's backgrounds/pasts will eventually be revealed, I just can't show everything already :P


	5. Chapter 5- Sing Loud

Chapter 5- Sing Loud

A/N: Hey guys, thanks for the wait! I really appreciate everyone's input; the reviews really help me out :3 so thanks again to everyone who has ever left a review, I am truly thankful :) Now, here is Chapter 5 of The Lonely King!

Oh, and before I forget, just wanted to mention that I started another VK story (yes, I should probably finish one first but this story idea wouldn't leave my head!) and, believe it or not, it's a Zero/Yuuki one :D It's called 'Wallflowers' and it's a more humorous story about Yuuki having to pretend to be a guy at an all boys school and has Zero as a roommate XD it would mean a lot if you guys checked it out, thanks!

Disclaimer: I still don't own VK (insert sad face here)

Song/Artist for Quote: Sing Loud by Alpha Rev (the whole song fits Yuume so well… it was difficult just picking one stanza for the intro ^^)

* * *

.

_"Standing in a field of voices find shelter from the blame. Even if you think it's all over I'll be here till the colors fade... I'll be here till your dying day."_

_._

_A brunette woman sat in the rubble of a forgotten town, shifting through the broken pots and pans that littered the ground. The sun shone high in the air, beating against the pair in a dead heat. She wiped the sweat from her brow, humming as she searched through the wreckage._

_"Aha!" She exclaimed, holding up her prize. It was a dusty canteen._

_The girl bounded towards the silent vampire, sandaled feet creating footprints in the sand as she shook the container. It made a sloshing noise to her utmost glee._

_"I finally found some water! Gosh, I've been thirsty for days!"_

_"So have I..." He noted dryly, picking up broken pieces of wood and cardboard in search of a fresh corpse. As it had been in the thirteen other desolated villages they had searched, he was disappointed to find nothing to quench his thirst... other than the slightly ditzy girl to his right._

_"Don't worry Kaname, I'll find you a couple of chickens to eat at the next town! I'm sure we'll find civilization soon!"_

_He growled in annoyance. "I will need more than a measly chicken to sate my hunger, girl. Just be glad I don't lose my temper now and make a meal out of you."_

_She laughed, tugging on his sleeve as she led him through the broken town. "Geeze, you're so serious all the time! The whole 'fearsome vampire facade' must be a great way to get people to leave you alone and all, but it must get boring at times. You should enjoy life, especially since you have all this time in front of you, Kaname. In fact, I'm kind of jealous, really."_

_He yanked his hand away, eyes glowing crimson. The sand around them kicked up, creating a circle around the pair, successfully trapping the girl with the monster._

_"Don't you dare call this life a blessing. It's filled with blood and suffering and death." He hissed, exposing his fangs. He roughly grabbed her shoulders, glaring into her eyes._

_She gave a sad smile, fingers reaching for his face. He caught them, bringing her wrist to his mouth. Already he could see the veins beneath her pale skin, a network of interworking lines that pumped sweet crimson through her system. And it would all be his with just a little pressure from his fangs._

_"From where I'm standing, your life isn't much different from mine. We both make mistakes, we both dream of something more, we both do what we need to survive. It is neither a good life nor a bad life because we are simply existing. You just have more time to make it either a good or bad life."_

_Her cinnamon orbs stared confidently into his own, never wavering even as his head tipped down to lick against the pulse of her wrist. Not even when a single fang revealed itself from under his pale lips. And not even when he broke away, face as unreadable as the day they met._

_Her face lit up with almost childlike excitement as the sandstorm dissipated, allowing the pure blood to continue his journey. He did not rebuke her this time when she stood closely to his side, fingers clutching at the cuff of his coat._

_"See, that was a step in the right direction, Kaname! Being good is rewarding, isn't it?"_

_"...I am slowly regretting my decision to let you live." He replied honestly._

_Yuuki chuckled before taking a swig of the canister. "Hah, that almost sounded like a joke. Keep trying and I'm sure you'll find something that makes you smile!"_

_She looked back, watching their shadows dance under the sun. "I would like to see it, someday. A genuine smile from you..." The brunette added, voice carried by the sudden gusts of wind._

_From the wind the vampire could smell a hint of salt, like that of an ocean current heavy with the burden of the salty sea air._

_Miles away from the pair a man with curly brown hair grinned wickedly. A line of blood dripped from his lips to the sand, staining the ground in crimson. He walked over the crumpled bodies of the villagers he had just eaten, sneering. "Kaname, you are certainly the cruelest vampire alive! When you do finally kill her, will the deception make her blood taste even sweeter? I'll have to try that someday as well…"  
_

* * *

"Yuuki? Is something the matter?" the auburn-haired girl questioned, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

The cinnamon-eyed girl dropped the canister back onto the table, turning to face Yori. She scratched her head awkwardly, letting out a hollow laugh, "Y-yes, I'm fine! I just had a weird... daydream I guess. I was out in the desert with someone."

Almost immediately the memories of the vision quickly faded from her conscience, blotting out the face of the one she had called 'Kaname.'

_Just what is going on with me?_ She tipped her head down, not letting her friend see the confusion and pain laden in her chocolate eyes.

Yori seemed relatively unconvinced by the brunette's shaky reasoning, but dropped the conversation in the hopes of pursuing a more fruitful topic.

"So, are you going to the festival this evening? I heard that there would be fireworks and it's an excuse for us to wear yukatas."

"Of course, but only if you come with me, Yori-chan!"

She gave a sincere smile and nodded. "That's what friends are for, after all."

The honey-eyed woman pointed to a crowded stall advertising beautiful silk yukatas, grabbing the brunette's hand. "Now, come on, we still have to buy our yukatas. I'll get you one, my treat. I do need to get rid of some of this money from my hands anyway."

* * *

The blonde noble sat arranging his collection of miscellaneous things, holding a suspiciously used fork. On the table there was a whole pile of dirty silverware, all used by his king. Akatsuki entered the room, eyeing the growing mountain of junk wearily before moving to sit on his bed. Even he had to admit that his cousin's hobby was just beyond strange.

"Hey, Hanabusa, we've been given a day off."

The vampire turned towards Kain, eyes shining with glee. "Really? You're not messing with me, are you, cause that would be really cruel—"

"Of course I'm telling the truth. Kaname-sama has ordered both the Council and the Court a day of rest in preparation for next week."

The noble gave a quizzical look. "What happens next week? I never pay attention in those stupid meetings."

"You don't know? We start peace negotiations with the neighboring kingdom. If it does not go well we have no choice but to ask for the help of the hunters."

* * *

"Kaname-kun, can I come in?"

The door creaked open without the blonde's help, revealing a certain pureblood lounging on the sofa. Takuma bounded inside the room, closing the door behind him before taking a seat beside the brunette.

"Ah, I'm glad to see you are taking your own advice for a change! How's the day of rest going?"

"…Fine." Kaname turned away, fingers pressed against a marble queen.

Takuma gazed at the chessboard on the coffee table. There was a jagged line between where the king was and where the queen should have been.

"So… are you going to the festival tonight? It's supposed to be a lot of fun!"

"I have no use for such trivialities." He replied honestly, flipping the page of his book.

The emerald-eyed noble pouted. "But you yourself said it was a day of rest! You should go out and enjoy yourself. The festival is only once a year and there are fireworks—"

"Takuma." Kaname interrupted, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Sorry! I got carried away again. Just promise me you'll think about it, okay? I'll be there, if that's any conciliation." With that the noble walked towards the door, disappearing down the hall.

Kaname sighed, running a hand through his hair. _Even if I wished to attend, I cannot put so many human lives at risk. I will not be that monster again._

His thoughts drifted once again to the petite brunette girl. _But, Yuuki could also be there…_

* * *

The two girls stood amongst the crowd, eyes tipped towards the sky. The clouds had opened to reveal a full moon, blanketing the festival grounds in a silver glow.

"Yori-chan, come on, we should make a wish at the well before the fireworks start!" The brunette tugged at her friend's hand, leading the girl through the crowds and festival stalls. She followed obediently, turning to see a familiar flash of blonde and blue. _Aidou?_

Sure enough, from the darkness a pair of nobles emerged before they were quickly swept into the sea of people.

"Let's go make a wish, Akatsuki! Come on, all the humans are doing it!" He exclaimed, pulling at the silent orange-haired man. Kain sighed, running his fingers through his hair but otherwise allowing the excited youth to pull him through the crowds. _He gets excited about the simplest things… but, I guess that's not a bad thing._

Already at the well, Yuuki and Yori had picked out a piece of colored paper each. Yuuki picked up the fountain pen, brushing her fingers against the green paper. _I wish for Yori, Zero, Ichiru, Father… and for the man in my dreams to always be happy. _She folded the paper into a lotus flower before dropping the paper into the well. It glided onto the water, nestled in between all the other paper flowers.

Suddenly, a loud drum was heard, signaling the start of the fireworks. "Yuuki, you go on ahead, I'll be done in a minute." Yori said, picking up the fountain pen.

The cinnamon-eyed girl nodded, waving goodbye before walking towards the town square, where the fireworks would be held.

The auburn-haired girl paused, thinking about what she would write down. _I wish… to prove to my father that I am capable of living my own life, without having to use our family name. _She then folded the paper into a rose, dropping the red flower into the well. It landed with a plop, falling neatly next to Yuuki's.

A hand brushed against her shoulder, causing the honey-eyed girl to spin around. She was met with a wide (albeit fanged) grin of none other than Hanabusa Aidou. A stoic looking orange-haired man stood to his side, although he had his gaze elsewhere. _Oh, it's that guy from before… the one that was staring at the moon when Aidou attacked, _she noted.

"Hey, Yori-chan! Didn't think you would come to something like this."

She composed herself immediately, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I'd have to say the same about you, Aidou-kun. Aren't there too many _humans _around?" She replied softly, hiding a smile behind her hand when the tan-skinned man shot his cousin a surprised look.

"Don't worry, Akatsuki. Kaname-sama didn't wipe her memory that night."

"Oh." He still looked genuinely surprised. _Since when did Hanabusa go out of his way to even talk to a human? This girl must be dangerous…_

"It's nice to meet you, officially. I am Sayori Wakaba." She said, holding out her hand.

The noble shook it hesitantly, "Nice to meet you as well. I am Akatsuki Kain. Look, I want to apologize about before… Hanabusa can kind of be an idiot sometimes—well, actually, he's an idiot all the time."

"H-hey!" Aidou yelled, fuming. "I am technically a genius and you know it! Sure, I'm impulsive sometimes—"

"All the time." Kain interrupted.

He huffed, crossing his arms. "If you are just going to bully me all night I'll hang with Yori-chan instead! At least she thinks I'm intelligent, right?"

"…Whatever you say, Aidou-kun." She giggled, honey orbs alight with glee. Aidou stood shocked, a hint of a blush dusting his cheeks. _She looks beautiful when she laughs. _He almost said it aloud, but quickly bit his tongue, pushing his hands into his pockets. He turned his attention towards his cousin.

"Akatsuki, just go find Ruka. I know you've been looking for her all evening. I'll write down my wish at the well and find you guys later."

Kain frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about—"

"Please, you follow her around like a love-stricken puppy. Everyone knows you like her… except Ruka herself, of course."

He sighed, turning away from the pair. "I won't deny nor confirm that. Just don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, alright?"

The blonde noble gave a wide grin. "Genius, remember? It'll be fine, geeze! Just go!"

Nodding, the man disappeared into the crowd. Aidou ran up to the well, picking up a blue piece of paper.

"So, I just write a wish down, right?"

Yori nodded curtly. "That's about it. Then, you fold it into a flower and toss it into the well."

He picked up the fountain pen, pausing before he scribbled something down. _I wish for Kaname-sama's dream to come true. _He looked at Yori sheepishly. "Could you… fold it? I don't know how to do origami."

She gave a small smile. His face turned pink again, even more so when her fingers brushed against his own. _Damnit, why am I the one blushing?_

Yori folded the paper into a rose, handing it back to the blushing man. Luckily, the dim light from the lanterns was not enough for the girl to see his blush. He threw the paper flower into the well, watching as it landed next to a red rose.

"So, what did you wish for, Yori-chan?" He questioned.

"Ah, that's—"

Before she could respond the first firework was let off, exploding in a flash of red. It faded into the dark just as another firework rocketed into the sky, shimmering in a glow of gold.

"Sorry, Aidou-kun, but I told Yuuki I would meet her to watch the fireworks." Before she could leave he grabbed her wrist, turning her around.

"W-wait!" As impulsive and brash as usual, he gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek without thinking of the consequences. He then closed his eyes, waiting for a slap or a scream. When neither came he hesitantly opened one cerulean eye. Yori stood frozen in place, a hand at her cheek. She was blushing heavily, face dusted in a bright pink.

* * *

Yuuki stood on her tiptoes, trying to see the fireworks as they were let off. The crowd swallowed most of the spectacle, only allowing the girl to see the faint shimmers of color. She sighed at her bad luck until her eyes crossed the large oak. It was in the perfect spot to view the fireworks!

She ran to the tree, pulling herself up. Just as her foot pressed against a low branch it snapped, causing the girl to fall backwards in surprise. Before she hit the ground a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, cushioning her fall. The pair landed to the ground with a thud, the brunette sprawled on top of the stranger.

"Are you alright?" A concerned voice questioned.

Yuuki quickly clambered off the man, face pink with embarrassment. "Y-yes, I'm so sorry for falling on you—"

She stopped mid-sentence, cinnamon orbs wide with surprise. "Kaname?"

* * *

A/N: Yes, even though I personally hate cliffhangers I keep doing it XD If it's not obvious, the festival is kind of based on Tanabata (you can google it for more info, but it's basically a wishing festival). Thanks again for all the support, guys! I just wanted to say that I start school in about two weeks and will be unable to update as frequently. There will probably be one more update before then, but I hope you guys understand ^^

-Isis


	6. Chapter 6- Atlas Hands

Chapter 6- Atlas Hands  
A/N: Lol, this has become more of an area for me to drop off other fic recommendations for you guys :P I started another Yuume fic called 'Sleeping Prince' and it's much more comedic and fluffy than 'The Lonely King.' I also have a tragic/angsty Ancestor!Kaname oneshot called 'An Eternity I Walked' if you want something that will make you cry T-T Oh, and thanks again for all the reviews! Reading them makes me really happy :3 Now, on to the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own VK.

Song/Quote from: Atlas Hands by Benjamin Francis Leftwich

* * *

.

_"When the stars are the only thing we share will you be there?"  
_.

* * *

The man's russet eyes widened in surprise. "Yuuki... you remember me?"

She clutched at her head, fingers tangled in her hair. "I think so. There was a desert. And a man with curly brown hair. He had one red eye and one blue eye."

The vampires face darkened at the mention of Rido. Slowly, he realized what else she had just revealed to him. He stared incredulously. For the first time, his emotions were clear on his face.

He started slowly, concern etched deep into his voice, "You remember that time, from centuries ago, but not the most recent memory? How strange..."

Yuuki sighed, dropping her hands into her lap. "This doesn't make any sense. I shouldn't feel like I know you this well. You don't seem like a stranger at all." _You seem like my only love.  
_  
"That's because I'm not, Yuuki. In this life I have met you three times before. Seeing as I cannot hide that our fates are intertwined, I must reveal everything to you. But, not here."

The pureblood rose to his feet, holding out his hand. She took it, cinnamon orbs furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean this life? That girl with long brown hair in my dreams was... actually me?"

Before the king could respond a flash of gold invaded his vision. It stopped to his side as the man shook his shoulder frantically.

"Takuma?" He questioned.

"Kaname, we have a big problem! The king of the neighboring territory has been spotted near our borders with a league of soldiers behind him!"

"What? Does he plan to undermine our attempts at peace?"

"I don't know. But, there is something else I need to tell you." The noble confessed.

The vampire could feel a sense of foreboding deep in his bones as he steeled himself for the response.

"The king is not just any vampire; he is a pureblood."

Kaname's eyes flashed crimson. "Who else knows of this?"

"No one except me and the spy, Seiren. I have not told any of the members of the Court nor the Council."

"Good. Tell everyone to remain in their rooms as I confront this pureblood. Make sure no one finds out the truth."

"Yes, Kaname." Takuma bowed, disappearing into the night.

The brunette turned his gaze to the petite girl to his right. "The safest place for you is at my side. Come, we will make haste for the castle."

* * *

Hanabusa stalked his room irritably, arms crossed. He would pause every few minutes to ruffle his tousled locks and growl in annoyance.

"Could you please stop that, Hanabusa? You've been pacing the floor for over two hours." Kain spoke, lounging lazily in the armchair.

The noble scoffed. "Akatsuki, don't you see? This is the time we've been trained for! We should be at Kaname-sama's side, protecting him at the cost of our lives..." He trailed off, pulling the marble from his coat pocket.

The blonde clenched his hands, pressing the marble into his palm. "I just feel so useless! Who would be foolish enough to attack the king head on? Kaname-sama is a pureblood. No sane man would attack him—"

Suddenly, a hint of understanding flashed in the vampire's cerulean eyes. He ran over to his cousin, shaking the taller man's shoulders roughly.

"That's it! I understand everything now!"

The orange-haired man sighed, pulling one of the noble's hands off of him. "What are you yelling about now, Hanabusa?"

"I can't believe how stupid I've been! Listen, Akatsuki, that king can't be human!"

The noble raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You have no proof to back this claim. It's mere conjecture."

"No! I wasn't done, geeze! Okay, hypothetically speaking, let's assume we're being attacked by a human army."

"Alright. I'll play along. So, a human army. What of it?"

Aidou groaned. "Everything! We've been threatened by human armies before. Remember, about five years ago? The king of the west came to the castle to negotiate a land treaty and Kaname-sama used his powers to 'persuade' the king to return to his territory. No bloodshed. It was simple, easy, efficient."

"I don't get it. Isn't that what's happening here?"

The blonde clicked his tongue in annoyance. "If it was a human king we wouldn't have been put on stand-by. And we certainly wouldn't be this in the dark about the treaty. In fact, we'd be allowed to watch the treaty unfold. We were allowed to watch the proceedings last time. Why not now? What has changed that even nobles of our standing are refused any information?"

The older noble was unable to respond. For his cousin to come to such a conclusion without any help... perhaps he was a genius after all.

Kain sighed, placing one hand on his cousin's shoulder. "Sometimes I forget you're actually a genius. Good job, Hanabusa."

The blonde smiled arrogantly. "Heh, thanks Akatsuki— wait, what do you mean you 'forget' that I'm a genius?!"

A knock at their door stopped their conversation as a familiar voice rang out. "You idiots, open the door."

"Ruka?" Aidou asked in disbelief, walking to the door and pulling it open.

The honey-blonde brushed past the stunned noble with ease. Rima and Senri followed afterwards, as emotionless and stoic as usual.

"Wait, what are you guys doing here—"

"Do you two know anything about Kaname-sama's condition?" Ruka asked worriedly.

"W-well, no—"

She sighed irritably. "Of course. Why did I think he would tell either of you anything? I must find Takuma."

The caramel-eyed girl quickly turned around, intent on finding the usually cheerful noble. Kain gripped her shoulder gently. "It's dangerous, Ruka. We believe that the king opposing Kaname-sama's not a human, but a vampire."

She turned around, anger clear in her eyes. "What of it? I am not going to just stand here while our Lord is in danger! I can't believe you two haven't done anything to aid our king! Did you not swear unstinting loyalty to him?"

Aidou interjected this time, cobalt eyes narrowed, "Don't fool yourself into thinking you're the only one who cares about the king! I... I owe the king my life. I would gladly lay down my own life for his. But, for once, we can't just storm in recklessly. We will only become a hindrance to Kaname-sama if we do that. We need to learn more about the enemy if we wish to help. We will do the king no good if we die early."

The sleepy red-haired youth yawned, obviously unaware or uncaring of the darkening atmosphere. He paused in front of the glaring pair, raising up a hand. "...Ichijou's been acting strange. It may have something to do with this."

A collection of "Huh's?" filled the room.

"Why didn't you tell me this before, Senri?" Rima's soft voice spoke, slightly hurt.

"He didn't seem to want anyone to know. A few days ago I saw him really thirsty. He's been eating blood tablets a lot lately, even asking for some of mine."

The nobles digested the new piece of information with worried looks.

Aidou eventually spoke up, "That's definitely worrying. Just what is going on?"

* * *

The pureblood opened the door, allowing the girl to walk inside. He motioned to the loveseat, mahogany eyes clouded with thoughts of the past. Yuuki noticed his change of demeanor easily.

"Uh, Kaname-sama—"

"You do not need to address me so formally, Yuuki. Kaname is just fine."

She looked away, eyes cast to her lap. "Kaname, what is going on? Vampires? A war? I do not understand."

He sat beside her, gaze fixed to her face. "It is a long story that I wish I had the time to tell you. As of right now all you need to know is that I am the king, a vampire, and will stop at nothing to keep you safe."

The pureblood brought a hand to her face, brushing her cheek gently with his thumb. She stilled at the contact, unable to look away at the man's sad eyes. "Are you afraid of me, Yuuki?" He spoke in a mournful tone, bringing his hand away.

She shook her head frantically. "N-not at all! You saved me once before and… and I just trust you. I don't know why, but I believe in you. So please, don't look at me with such saddened eyes."

He was unable to hide his surprise. "My apologies. I will try to smile, like before. Long ago you said you wanted nothing more than to see me give a genuine smile." For a brief second he grinned, mahogany orbs devoid of pain or sadness. And as soon as it came, it quickly passed, eyes flashing crimson at the feeling of a new presence inside his castle. The girl startled slightly in surprise.

"Yuuki, I must leave. Please, do not leave this room until I return. I have a guard posted at the door for your safety. This is my room, so feel free to move about it as you wish. I promise to reveal everything when I come back." He stood up from the sofa, bowing.

At the sight of his departing figure Yuuki cried out, "Kaname!"

He turned back, fingers clutching the doorknob.

"…Come back safely." She blushed lightly, a cute pink dusting her cheeks. He noticed this and smiled.

"I promise." The door clicked close, leaving the girl alone in the room.

She brought her gaze to the chessboard in front of her, noticing the jagged line down the middle. Curious, she picked up the white queen that had rolled under the coffee table. She brought the piece next to the white king, smiling to herself. _So he plays chess. I think… do most people break the chessboards? Well, he is a vampire, after all. Somehow, this feels strangely nostalgic._

Minutes ticked by as the brunette grew restless, worried for the solemn vampire. Wanting to distract herself, she took the time to inspect the room she was left in.

It was a rather large room, sectioned off into two for different purposes. She sat in what appeared to be similar to a drawing room, where a matching white sofa and armchair were placed. A black coffee table was in between the two pieces of furniture with a cobalt blue rug underneath. The floor was a dark mahogany, shining brightly.

A small desk was pushed against the opposite wall of the room, adjacent to a large arched window. Light spilled in through the heavy drapery, creating square marks against the dark flooring. There were two bookcases on either side of the desk, crammed full of books (which, when skimming her fingers against the spine, realized them to be in a collection of languages).

Finally, in what appeared to be sectioned off as a bedroom, there was a crimson coffin, lid closed. A white cross was etched into the front, giving off a slight sheen. A mahogany armoire was pushed in the corner, open to reveal a modest amount of clothing. _He may be king, but his room seems almost bare and void of expensive-looking furniture. Definitely not what I expected…_

Yuuki returned to the sofa, kicking her legs absentmindedly. In the silence she heard the shuffle of feet outside the door and a woman's voice. Unable to discern what was being said, the brunette stealthily walked towards the door, opening it up a crack. She could see the back of a woman with short, violet hair and a group of nobles. Two of the supposed nobles, one with blonde hair and an arrogant smile and an orange-haired man who appeared laid-back and stoic, seemed oddly familiar to her. _Funny… they look just like the guys from my dream that attacked Yori and I—Oh._

"Seiren, could you let us speak to Kaname-sama, please. It's urgent." The blonde-haired youth questioned, desperation clear in his cerulean eyes.

"I've been told to not allow the king any visitors. Please leave." She responded without a hint of emotion.

"Come on, we know what's going on. The other king's a vampire, isn't he?"

The woman stiffened, but responded coolly, "Do not meddle in affairs you do not understand. I'll say it only one more time, leave. Or, face the wrath of Kaname-sama."

He growled in irritation, stalking away. He turned to the stoic woman one final time before disappearing around the corner. "Fine. We're going to the throne room then. Perhaps someone there will give us answers."

The violet-haired woman seemed conflicted, unable to decide whether to leave her post or follow after the vampires. She cursed, running after the group of nobles.

Yuuki, seeing this, took the opportunity to sneak out the door, closing it behind her gently. She rushed down the stairs in the opposite direction of the other vampires. Darting behind pillars and furniture, she sighed in relief, finding what appeared to be an empty room. She slid down against the door, taking in deep, shaky breaths. _Alright, I need to find Kaname. I can't bear to wait any longer. _

Suddenly, the door opened a crack, hitting her squarely in the back. She turned around, hearing a dark chuckle. "I knew I smelled a delicious scent. I should have gone straight to the throne room, but how could I deny such a tantalizing smell? Little girl, are you lost? Or is Kaname-kun keeping pets again?"

"W-who are you?" She stuttered, fear gripping her heart. _This man is…_

The vampire opened the door wider, revealing his sneering face. "Ahahaha, you could say I'm an _old_ friend of Kaname's. Now, come with me." He gripped her arm, dragging her roughly down the hallway.

"L-let go!" She yelled, kicking against him to no avail. It was like kicking against a block of cement. He seemed more annoyed than anything else at her attempts at escape.

He turned back, letting out a hearty laugh. The stench of death radiated from his breath as he spoke, "Well, Miss, I don't think Kaname-kun would be too happy if I had a little snack. So if you could stop struggling before I'm tempted to rip out your throat, I'd greatly appreciate it!"

She reluctantly stopped, peering up at the vampire as he led her to the double-doors. He pushed open the doors with one hand before slinging her inside, allowing the brunette to skid across the floor in a painful heap. Yuuki let out a moan of pain at her head hitting the floor, causing her world to become blurted and distorted. She could barely make out the face of the man who brought her into his arms, eyes a dangerous crimson.

"It seems my suspicions were correct, considering your reaction, Kaname-kun. Isn't this a happy reunion? After three-hundred years we've all come back together. Ah, this brings back wonderful memories!"

"Rido…" Kaname growled, fangs glinting dangerously. A gaping hole appeared in the wall behind him. He chuckled lightly, heterochromia eyes filled with sinister glee.

"Still unable to control your emotions I see. That's a trait unbecoming of a king." Rido turned to the nearly unconscious girl, sneering widely. "Have you told her about before? How _you _betrayed her? It was such a tearful end for you two, I nearly cried."

The pureblood remained silent, fingers tightening around Yuuki. "I didn't betray her. You did."

"It's funny how time distorts ones perception of past events," He started, stalking closer to the pair, "if I remember correctly, _you_ were the one who killed her."

* * *

A/N: God, I've got to stop leaving chaps at cliffhangers. I know not a lot happened in this chap, but next one will bring a few more startling revelations to light such as how Rido's still alive and an interesting fight :3

So, stay tuned guys! I'll see you guys in Chapter 7!

-Isis


	7. Chapter 7- Waking Up the Ghost

Chapter 7- Waking Up the Ghost

A/N: Here's probably the last chap for a while, sorry ^^' It's my senior year and I need to do well so my writing will be taking a back-seat to my schoolwork for a while. I will try to update at least once every two weeks though, so it shouldn't be too long of a wait. I just didn't want to leave you guys at a cliffhanger XD

Notes on this chapter: Oh, and if it isn't obvious, not including the first flashback/memory, all the other flashbacks shown/ what are going to be shown _are _in order. So, don't worry about piecing timelines together or anything :3 And just in case people haven't made it to a certain chapter in the manga, *spoiler alert, you have been warned* Kaname was the original wielder of Artemis, Bloody Rose, and the anti-vampire sword. That is all :)

Disclaimer: Nope, VK isn't mine.

Quote/Title from: Waking up the Ghost by 10 Years

* * *

.

"Under the weight the _sin_ is eating me alive…"

.

Slowly, and with much effort, Yuuki brought her hand to the pureblood's cheek, confusion swimming beneath the tears of her cinnamon orbs. "Did you… really kill me?"

The brunette man rose to his feet, carrying the girl gently in his arms. He went to brush a tear from her eyes, but stopped when Yuuki flinched at his touch. He instead walked towards the startled members of his Court, handing her to the tousled-haired blonde. The noble remained silent, but stared up at the king imploringly.

Kaname turned away, voice barely above a whisper, "Yuuki, I have been trying to atone for my sins all this time. What I did then—and what I should have done, have been plaguing me for centuries. I… I am sorry. I do not deserve to hold you in my arms again."

Yuuki stared at the retreating form of the king, bringing a hand to reach towards him, whispering, "Kaname..."

He stepped up the marble stairs to his throne, determined. "Come to me, Artemis."

From the throne a bright light shone, enveloping the room in a golden blaze. Rido howled, clutching at his stomach as the pureblood turned to him, scythe in hand. "Aidou, take Yuuki away from the castle; it is too dangerous here. Everyone else may leave as well. I do not need any of you in the way."

"But, Kaname-sama—" A honey-blonde started, taking a step forward.

"Pawns should listen to their king. I said leave this place, now." Kaname interrupted, pointing the scythe towards Rido.

Reluctantly, the Court members followed his orders, all filing out of the room from the opposite door. As soon as they left Kaname let out a groan of pain, falling onto one knee. Artemis crackled in his grip, cobalt sparks traversing the handle of the scythe to his hands. "Artemis… why do you disobey me now? Am I not a worthy master any longer?"

The curly-haired pureblood smirked, bringing his index finger to his lips. Biting down, he let the blood ooze onto the floor, laughing all the while. "Oh, Kaname, when will you _ever _learn? I am the one who taught you to enjoy blood and destruction and _death_. Before you met me, you were _nothing. _A blank canvas onto which I could pour all my knowledge into. You were the perfect killing machine. Well, almost… you still couldn't kill me, even in a blind rage." Suddenly, the blood took form and shape, extending from the wound to make a long blood whip.

"Quiet, Rido. Didn't I tell you before that ghosts should stay dead?" Gritting his teeth, the king darted forward, cutting an arc through the air with the scythe. Rido flipped backwards, dodging the attack easily. He extended his hand, bringing it up and then down, allowing the whip to crash into the ground.

Kaname rolled to the side seconds before the whip would have made contact with his head. A large crater remained where the whip landed, scattering pieces of marble.

"Do you remember how Yuuki cried out for you? 'Kaname? Kaname? Help me, please! I don't want to die!' You were such a fool!"

The anger in the king's eyes was palpable, nearly a shifting force that tumbled with him as he glided into the air, bringing the scythe down. "You have no right to even speak her name!"

Rido laughed, extending the blood whip over his head. It blocked Artemis inches away from his face, allowing the man to look at his ex-pupil.

"It's so saddening how you turned out, Kaname. You had such potential. Now all you want to do is protect the livestock of your kingdom!" Rido growled, hitting the handle of Artemis with every word. Kaname staggered back, falling onto the floor with a thud. Artemis fell from his hands, clattering onto the floor. Before he could retrieve it Rido stepped on his hand, using his other foot to kick the weapon away.

Rido brought his hands to the king's throat, leering darkly. "Ah, you've grown stronger though, haven't you? Even though I can tell you haven't had human blood in centuries, you've been attacking purebloods. And now, we are the only ones left. How does it feel, Kaname? To have your world ripped from your very eyes?"

The usually stoic pureblood dug his fingers into the taller man's wrist, growling out a reply, "I w-will not let you hurt Yuuki!"

Rido chuckled again, squeezing Kaname's throat with glee. "Heh, that's hilarious! You can't even protect her from yourself!" He flung the lithe man into the wall, stalking after him. Kaname rose to his feet, shaking off pieces of debris from his coat. A trail of blood dripped from his chin onto the ground in steady taps.

Eyes flashing crimson, he caused a large chunk of the ceiling to fall down onto the pureblood. It covered the man entirely, blanketing him in pieces of broken rubble. Through the haze of dust, the king could see crimson pouring from under the debris. The blood quickly turned into bars, creating a sort of jail around the fallen ceiling. The blood shifted, turning to create almost thorn-like stems, crashing through the large room. It created a maze of pointed blood spikes, crisscrossing until pinpointing the only other person in the room. As if they had their own intelligence, they all targeted the injured brunette. The king fell to the ground, barely dodging a spike that brushed against his cheek. Suddenly, the blood stopped, returning to the center of the room where the debris was.

A voice rang out, malice clear in his voice, "Ah, it wouldn't be fun to end this little game without an audience. I instead, leave you with a warning, my _dearest _friend. There is a wolf among your precious sheep. How do you think I was able to formulate such a plan to attack you at your weakest? Farewell, Kaname." Rido emerged from the rubble, unhurt, a wicked grin on his face. With a wave of his hand he disappeared, leaving the king alone in the broken pieces of the room.

He dropped to his knees, clutching at his chest as pain racked his body. Memories spilled into his mind as he curled up into a ball, willing his fangs to stop lengthening and for his eyes to return to their natural hue. But, his control was running thin and every second brought him closer to the monster within. Vision fading, he saw a flash of blonde and emerald.

* * *

"_I think I hear seagulls! Kaname, can we stop by the ocean, please?" Yuuki pleaded, cinnamon orbs wide with pent-up excitement. _

_The pureblood paused, senses alight with stimuli. From the smell of the ocean salt, to the scent of the town, to even the girl beside him, there was a hint of something else in the air. The scent of death._

"_We should continue." He replied brusquely, walking forward._

_Yuuki pouted, but followed after him. "Fine! But, promise me we'll see the ocean someday, alright?"_

_The vampire sighed, bringing a hand to ruffle the brunette's hair. "…I promise." _

_The girl grinned, holding on to the mahogany-eyed man's arm. "I'll hold you to it! If you break your promise I won't forgive you!"_

_Kaname did not respond, stepping in front of the girl. "Rido." He said simply, watching as the visage of a curly-haired man came into vision._

"_Hello, Kaname. It's been so long since I've last seen you… who is the delicious looking girl behind you?"_

"_She's no one you need to concern yourself with." _

_The stranger's eyes narrowed. "So, you wouldn't mind if I had a bite...?"_

_The girl cowered behind the pureblood, until she hesitantly moved from behind his coat. "Uh, Rido-san was it? I would appreciate it if you didn't talk like I wasn't here. If there is something you wish to say about me, then please say it to my face."_

_This caused the man to let out a laugh, chuckling loudly. "Hahaha, I didn't know humans could have such… energy. It's quite refreshing. My apologies, miss. You are obviously different than my usual meals. I hope I haven't frightened you." He grinned, showcasing a pair of sharp fangs._

"_What are you doing here, Rido? " Kaname questioned, pushing the girl back behind him._

"_Is it a crime to take a walk? I'm staying at the village near the ocean. It has such a wonderful view… you two should come by. I have a villa there, if you need a place to stay."_

"_We're fine." The brunette said, grabbing Yuuki by the arm. He holstered her up onto his back before taking off, leaving the mad pureblood to sneer at the pair as they disappeared into the horizon._

"_That woman… smells just like Juuri. Could it be…?" He trailed off, smile twisting into a frown. A foreign emotion passed behind his eyes until it was replaced with his usual twisted glee._

"_Oh, how fun! I wonder where you two are going… Kaname, my little pupil, and the delicacy you tote around. Be careful, I might just steal her away from you, forever."_

* * *

The voices hushed as soon as the pureblood opened his eyes. He found himself on his sofa with six pairs of eyes staring at him worriedly. He shifted to a sitting position, allowing the blanket to slip off his form and onto the floor.

"Is Yuuki safe?" He saw that the girl was not among the nobles in the room.

Aidou spoke up nervously, "Y-yes! I took her to her friend's house, Miss Sayori Wakaba. Once she was feeling better I escorted Yuuki back to her own home." _Where you didn't tell me her adopted brothers and father were all vampire hunters._

"I see. That will do, for now. In the meantime, I must speak privately with Takuma."

The rest of the nobles reluctantly left the room, with Aidou taking one last glance at the pair before shutting the door.

"Takuma, how much have you told your grandfather?"

The blonde gazed at the pureblood quizzically. "What are you talking about, Kaname?"

"You've never been a good liar. Tell me, how much have you exposed to your grandfather? I will not ask you again."

The emerald-eyed youth turned away, "I'm sorry. I-I was told it was for your benefit. He said he would only relay important information to those of the Council. I swear, Kaname, that I would never have given him the information if I had known what he would do with it."

The pureblood sighed, tipping his head up to look at the ceiling. "I am not angry with you, Takuma. I am, however, worried for the Council. They are so twisted with avarice and bloodlust that they have outgrown their usefulness. Tell me, what made you give him the information? You are much more intelligent than that."

"He said he knew a way to ease your bloodlust. I knew— I knew he was probably lying, but I couldn't let even a miniscule chance slip away. I'm truly sorry, Kaname."

Without warning, the pureblood showed a rare moment of kindness, giving the stunned noble a hug. "It is alright, friend. I have done much worse. I still trust you."

Kaname's eyes flitted sadly to the chessboard behind Takuma.

It seemed that despite his efforts, war was inevitable.

* * *

"Father, please, tell me what happened! Why don't I remember anything from before the age of five? Please, tell me!"

The flaxen-haired man sighed, removing his glasses. "Yuuki, this is what I—what we, have been trying to protect you from. But, it appears you have found out at least some of the truth on your own. So be it, I will tell you."

Yuuki hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much!"

Kaien chuckled, patting her on the back gently. "Ah, my daughter is so happy with me, it makes me glad!"

He reluctantly released the brunette, motioning for her to take a seat in front of him. Folding his hands, he spoke, "I know Kaname has wanted to tell you this for years, but he didn't want to drag you back into a world filled with pain. Your real parents… Yuuki, were killed by a Level-E. You managed to escape from the house, somehow, and ended up in the snow, all alone. Kaname had been tracking the Level-E, but had come too late to save them. He followed the sound of your cries and killed the man before he could attack you. You must have gone into shock, because you couldn't even give your own name. You had pushed away all your memories of your parents due to the pain and shock of losing them. Now an orphan, Kaname took you in and brought you to me. I adopted you and he gave you the name 'Yuuki.' He then erased your memories of him and kept away, wanting to let you live a normal life."

The girl did not respond, absorbing the information. _My real parents… are dead? I had always thought that, since I knew that Father would never have taken me in otherwise, but… to know they had been killed by a vampire. I-I'm scared._

The double-doors were kicked open, revealing the silver-haired twins. Zero had a perpetual frown on his face while Ichiru smiled happily, bounding over to the flaxen-haired man. "Hi, Father!"

Kaien expected a greeting from the other twin, but was left disappointed as he waked past him and towards Yuuki. "Well, it's about time you told her the truth." Zero said, ruffling the shocked brunette's hair.

"A frown doesn't suit you." He said, pinching her cheeks in an attempt to make her smile.

"S-stop, Zero!" She whined, half-heartedly swatting his hands away.

Suddenly, a question popped into her head. "So, Father, how did you meet Kaname?"

He laughed, "That's a whole other story, my darling daughter! I'll tell you some ti—"

The doorbell suddenly went off, interrupting the flaxen-haired man.

"I'll get it!" Yuuki said, running down the hall. She made it to the foyer area to open the door, shivering at the cold night air.

"Hello, Yuuki." The pureblood greeted, brushing a hand against her cheek. She stilled at his touch, but before she could respond an amethyst-eyed man came down the stairs.

"Get away from her, vampire!" He spoke angrily, pointing his gun directly at the vampire's chest.

Kaname turned to the boy in mild annoyance. "Is that any way to greet the man who saved your life?"

* * *

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed it! Remember, reviews are loved! They give me warm fuzzies :3 And, don't worry, there's still many more twists and turns in this story, so stay tuned!

-Isis


	8. Chapter 8- Young andBeautiful

Chapter 8- Young and Beautiful

A/N: Ah, sorry for the delay guys! School's started again and my time to write fics will be solely on the weekends D: Please bear with me as I will be spending more time drawing for my AP Art class instead of writing, which will swallow up a large chunk of my time. Now that I've got that out of the way, here is the usual fic recommendation area, lol XD I have a drabble series called 'Sweet Dreams,' where you guys can send me requests/prompts for any VK pairings or scenarios that you want me to write :3 Secondly, I have put up the first chap of my Shiki/Rima fic, 'One Wish.' It's a tragedy/romance AU set where a human!Rima only has thirty days to live. So… yah, if you guys checked those out I'd greatly appreciate it ^^

Disclaimer: Let me check… nope, VK's still owned by Matsuri Hino.

Title/Quote from: Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Ray.

* * *

.

"_Will you still love me when I have nothing but my aching soul?"_

.

* * *

The silverette's eyes narrowed considerably. "What are you talking about?"

"You two were young then, after all. I guess it isn't too hard to believe that you've forgotten. I was the one who killed Shizuka Hiou before she could taint either of you with her fangs."

Zero kept the gun pointed at the pureblood's chest, but his hand shook, the memories of that night flitting to the front of his mind. All the blood and snow and screams…

"Kaname-kun, it's a pleasure to see you! What a delight to have you in my home! Come in, come in! And Zero, drop your weapon! Don't you know it's rude to point guns at guests?" The ex-hunter exclaimed from the staircase, running down to usher the brunette inside.

Reluctantly, the youth placed the gun in its holster, frowning. "Listen, _vampire, _I don't care if you've saved the world at some point in your life—you're still nothing but a blood sucker in my eyes."

"Fair enough." He sighed, hanging his long coat on the rack. He gave a warm smile to Yuuki as he passed, following the flaxen-haired man upstairs.

"Now Zero, Yuuki, you two stay downstairs. Oh, you too, Ichiru! Kaname-kun and I have a lot of important business to discuss! I wouldn't want to bore you with the details so why don't you guys tidy up while we chat?"

The youths reluctantly obeyed, Yuuki's gaze fixed to the brunette as he ascended the wooden staircase.

_Kaname… what else are you hiding from me?_

* * *

The exuberant man shut the oak doors behind him, turning to look at the pureblood king. Kaname took a seat in front of Kaien's desk, a hint of apprehension in his eyes.

"I assume you have told her the truth?"

"Well, part of it. I left out a few… unsavory details. You must be the one to tell her everything."

The vampire's gaze dropped to the floor, voice mixed with an uncharacteristic hint of uncertainty, "Did I make the right decision? Should I have not interfered? Am I making the wrong choices yet again?"

The ex-hunter frowned, voice steady and serious, "Kaname, I can't tell you whether your decisions up to this point have been right or wrong. It is your life, not mine. All I know is that you can't stay in the past. That's what kills purebloods. When you can't look to the future, when your life is buried in the sands of time, when you find out you have nothing to live for… that is when a pureblood is in the most danger. Now that you've gotten Yuuki involved I will not forgive you if you break her heart. So, you must live, for her sake."

The man nodded. "I will do whatever I can to protect her, this time. Kaien, I need to keep Yuuki in the castle with me, until Rido is disposed of. It is too dangerous here. I know you are all hunters but—"

Kaien held up a hand. "I understand, Kaname. You can leave with her; just keep in mind what I said before. Never break her heart."

He gave a sad smile. "I wish I could promise that. I can only promise her safety, unfortunately."

* * *

The mad pureblood let out a cackle, throwing a skull up into the air. It shattered into pieces around him as he brought his gaze to the masked man in front of him.

"Ah, it's been a while, my friend." He motioned to the pile of bones to his right.

"These catacombs make a wonderful home. Please, sit down. We have much to discuss… my little spy."

The stranger put up a hand. "If it is alright with you, Milord, I would prefer to stand. I have information regarding Kaname Kuran and Yuuki Cross."

"Hahaha, wonderful! I just met the girl, Yuuki. She seems absolutely delectable!"

The masked man clenched his fists at the girl's name, but remained impassive. Rido noticed this and laughed. "My, my, you aren't thinking of betraying the only person who saw your power? I saw your wasted potential and immediately used my blood to make you stronger. Petty ties will only get you killed; it's best you learn this now. I will not accept insubordination."

The youth bowed, placing one knee onto the dusty floor and a hand over his heart. "Forgive me, Rido-sama. I serve only you."

"Good. Now, what is this new information you were speaking of earlier?"

The man stood up, a flash of violet slipping from behind his mask. "It appears that Kaname Kuran plans to keep the girl in his castle. It will be difficult to apprehend her at this point. Even with a war, it may be impossible to reach her."

Rido gave a lopsided grin, reaching for another skull from the pile. He kissed the forehead before showing it to the man in front of him. The skull had a pair of fangs. "Well, _you_ can get into the castle with relative ease. These are my orders: get me Yuuki Cross, alive. I don't care how many of Kaname's followers you kill, as long as you bring back the girl. I think it goes without saying that if you fail me I will kill you."

"I understand, Milord. Please excuse me." The man disappeared up the stairs, leaving the vampire alone with his thoughts.

The silence was deafening. His smile faded as he crushed the skull in his hands. "Why do I still long for you, Juuri? Even after all these centuries… why? It's maddening!"

_As many times before, there was no answer._

Suddenly, a memory broke through his conscience, sending him back to when he first met Juuri Kuran.

* * *

_The sea is calm. A man dressed in a dark coat sits on the edge of the water, curly brown hair teased by the gusts of wind._

_A woman who appeared to be only a few years younger approached, her bare feet making tracks in the soft white sand._

_The stranger immediately senses her presence and turns, one blue eye and one crimson eye glaring at the petite brunette._

"_Who are you?" He barks out, rising from the sand. She sees the glint of fangs peeking from underneath his lips._

_The girl takes a few steps backwards, but keeps her head forward, a flash of determination apparent in her brown orbs._

"_My name is Juuri. This beach is open to all, is it not? I was just taking a little midnight stroll."_

_He chuckles lightly, "Is it not foolish for a young human woman to be walking out late at night? You might just be eaten by a monster."_

_She sits down, allowing for the edges of her white dress to gather sand. "It's a possibility… but, it's such a beautiful night. The moon is full and everything just seems peaceful and still."_

"_Like death." He replies, stalking towards the fearless girl. "Are you afraid to die?"_

_Juuri shrugs, bringing her knees up and rests her chin. "Sure. It's part of being human. But, I'm not going to let that ruin my fun. What about you? What's your name?"_

_He laughs again. "I go by Rido."_

"_Rido… that's an interesting name."_

"_Now you're just trying to flatter me. Sorry, but that's not going to make me any less hungry."_

_The brunette holds up her arms in surrender. "How about we call a truce, since it's such a beautiful night? You can stop being a killer for a night and I don't have to worry about being eaten. And we both get to enjoy each other's company."_

"_You're definitely strange for a human."_

"_You're definitely strange for a vampire. I thought you guys were supposed to just eat first and ask questions later."_

"_Well, I'm feeling a bit nostalgic tonight. It's probably because of the moon. I can promise your safety... for now."_

_She giggled, bringing a hand to cover her mouth. "You're funny, Rido. And here I thought all vampires had no sense of humor."_

"_Flattery, dear, will get you nowhere. Although, I appreciate that you understand my deadpan, snarky humor."_

_Juuri nodded, returning her gaze to the ocean. "Say, Rido… I have a question for you. You're a vampire so you should know the answer. What does forever feel like?"_

_He turned his gaze to the horizon, taking in a breath of the cold, salty air before responding. "Forever is cold. Maddening. Sickening. Lonely. Don't tell me you approached me to ask for immortality. Because that would be severely disappointing. In fact, it would make me want to kill you immediately."_

_She shook her head. "I was just curious… every vampire I've ever seen always looked really sad."_

* * *

"Your room is adjacent to mine. I have also moved my servants to this wing; if anything happens do not hesitate to contact either me or any of the Court members."

"Ah, thank you, Kaname. You're really too kind." She blushed, gaze cast to the floor.

She felt a cold hand brush against her neck, trailing to her chin. He tipped her head so her eyes met his. "Yuuki… I am actually being terribly selfish. I want to keep you to myself. Taking you away from your friends and family with barely an explanation, it is quite cruel of me."

She shook her head wildly, cinnamon orbs wide in surprise. "Selfish? You're the one protecting me. I've done nothing but cause more problems for you. I should be the one apologizing, really."

He didn't respond for a while, head tipped to where she couldn't see his eyes. "Ka…name?" She questioned hesitantly, bringing a hand to his face.

He caught her wrist, eyes clouded by an unfamiliar emotion. "That's right, I almost forgot. I won't forgive you just yet." He picked her up over his shoulder, bringing her to his room.

"W-wait, Kaname!"

He remained silent as he deposited her gently onto the couch. He stared into her eyes, letting his forehead rest against hers.

"Just let me stay here, with you, for a little while." He murmured, resting his head against her chest. Yuuki blushed, but didn't fight against him. She ran her fingers through his hair, face flushed pink.

The vampire listened to her steady heartbeat, feeling the ache of his fangs at the sound of her blood pumping through her veins. She smelled like roses, a tantalizing scent that caused his chest to tighten. He nuzzled further up her chest, nudging a lock of hair away from the column of her neck. She let out a gasp, the stirrings of fear clear in her cinnamon orbs.

Kaname pulled away, eyes a dark crimson as he stared into her eyes. "Yuuki… I love you. Will you become my queen and stay by my side, forever?"

She hesitantly nodded, shutting her eyes. A whisper escaped her lips as he descended, fangs bared. "Yes. Just don't be sad anymore, Kaname."

He licked at the pulse of her neck, allowing a single fang to press against the skin. She held her breath, waiting for the flash of pain. But, it never came. The pureblood turned away, guilt clear in his now mahogany orbs.

"I'm sorry, Yuuki. I went too far. I forgive you."

Before she could respond there was a knock at the door.

"Kaname-sama, I have some very unfortunate news." The violet-haired woman opened the door, bowing at the vampire.

"What is it, Seiren?" The king questioned, already feeling a sense of foreboding.

"The town… is burning."

The pureblood stilled, turning his attention towards his bodyguard. "Get all the Court members to go to the town. We need to save as many lives as we can."

He brushed his hand against the brunette's cheek. "I promise to return once the town is safe."

* * *

The blonde man coughed, darting past the hordes of people as they scrambled to flee the area. _Shit—Yori, please be alright!_

Hanabusa continued to run through the emptying streets, steeling his eyes forward and away from the carnage. There were countless bodies littering the alleyways. He let out a breath of horror at the sight of a group of Level E's attacking what appeared to be an already dead man. They clawed at his neck and stomach as they fed, growling to each other as one of the Level E's swiped at his comrade. The vampire growled back, tackling his assailant as the third vampire continued its meal.

_Stay focused! Just one more block and you'll be at her house. You can save her! _The cerulean-eyed man pulled himself away from the bloody scene to turn the corner, only to come to a startling halt.

It seemed that the fire had started in the residential district of the kingdom, swallowing most of the smaller homes. Yori's home was already on fire, the porch having already crumbled down. Flames licked at his heels as he ran to the burning building, jumping over the rumble and kicking open the front door.

"Yori!" He yelled, peering through the heavy layer of smoke. There was no response.

"Yori! Damnit, where are you?" He growled, stepping into the burning remnants of the study. He heard a dim cough and turned towards the staircase, only to see that a burning pillar was blocking his path.

"W-wait a second, Yori! I'll be right there!" He focused a layer of ice onto the pillar, smothering the flames with his power. The pillar eventually froze over as he jumped over it, tumbling forward.

The vampire got to his feet, rushing up the stairs. The hallway was clouded in smoke, making it nearly impossible for the noble to see. The noble ran his hand against the wall, looking for the tell-tale bump of a doorknob. Finding one he immediately kicked down the door, searching the room frantically. He finally spotted her, legs trapped under fallen rubble.

"Aidou!" She exclaimed, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Hold on, I'll get you out of this mess." He pulled at the debris, shoving a chunk of the ceiling off of her lithe form. He managed to get the rest of the rubble off of her, wincing at the sight of a large gash down the side of her leg.

"I'm sorry, Aidou, but I don't think I can walk—"

"Shut up." He said, pulling the woman into his arms. He held her bridle style, approaching the open door. A loud crash could be heard as more debris fell from the ceiling, successfully trapping the pair inside the room.

"Shit!" He searched the room, wracking his brain for a solution. His eyes drifted to the small window. Aidou ran to it, pushing the window open with one hand.

"Close your eyes."

She obeyed, curling her fingers into the fabric of his shirt. The blonde noble jumped out of the second story window, cursing as he fell backwards, allowing himself to take the brunt of the fall. They landed onto the grassy lawn, the breath nearly being knocked out of the man as his back hit the ground first with a harsh thud.

The girl opened her eyes, coughing as she tried to sit up. The pain in her leg caused her to wince, moving off of the exhausted vampire.

He opened his eyes to give a cocky smile, bringing a hand to her face. "I told you I'd make you 'fall' in love with me."

"You're such an idiot… and I still haven't forgiven you for that kiss." She murmured, bringing her arms around the vampire's neck.

He chuckled, returning the tight embrace. "I know."

A loud cough interrupted the pair as a man with wild orange hair appeared. "Not to ruin the moment or anything, but the town _is_ still on fire. Hanabusa, you're the one with ice powers. I don't think my flames are going to do much—"

"Alright, alright," He sighed, picking up the auburn-haired girl with him. "Akatsuki, where's everyone else?"

"Ruka and Rima are keeping the vampires away from the rest of the humans gathered near the Vampire Hunter Association Headquarters. Shiki and Takuma are taking care of rogue Level E's scattered throughout the town. Kaname-sama wants us to take care of the fires and rescue any humans trapped in their homes."

The blonde huffed. "Fine. Akatsuki, after we rescue the rest of the humans I need you to create an even bigger fire."

"Why would I do that?" He questioned, confusion clear on his face.

Aidou sighed and would have probably waved his hands around theatrically if he wasn't holding Yori. "Geeze, Akatsuki! Did you pay any attention in school? While I freeze off some of the worst parts of the fire, you need to create a bigger fire so they will swallow each other and die out."

The ginger-haired man blinked. And then blinked again. "You act like an idiot so much that I forget you actually have a brain. Alright, I'm going to go search for survivors. Try not to get killed."

"You too! You don't want to make Ruka worry, do ya?"

The amber-eyed man stilled, turning around. "Shut up, Hanabusa…" He mumbled, disappearing into the heart of the town.

* * *

Yuuki looked through the large window in her room, eyes furrowed in worry. _Kaname, Yori, Father, Zero, Ichiru… please, be safe._ Her mind traveled back to the incident with Kaname and she blushed, shaking her head. _He was just tired… and not thinking properly. There's no way he would really love me—_

A sudden knock interrupted her musings as a familiar head of silver hair appeared in the doorway. The man gave a large smile, shutting the door behind him.

"Ichiru? How did you get in here? How is everyone? Are Zero and Father—"

"Don't worry, Yuuki! They're perfectly fine! They took refuge in the Vampire Hunter Association Headquarters. They asked me to come get you."

She tipped her head to the side. "Really? I thought I was supposed to stay in the castle."

He laughed. "We've had a bit of a change of plans. I'll explain more of it to you along the way. Pick up your suitcase and let's go!"

"O-ok, give me a second!" She turned to pick up her suitcase only to have a hand cover her mouth. Her eyes widened as a voice whispered in her ear.

"Sorry, Yuuki…" Ichiru said, jabbing her harshly in the side.

She immediately fell forward, the spindles of sleep fluttering behind her eyes. Just as her conscience faded she saw the sneering grin of her adopted brother.

* * *

A/N: Things are starting to get interesting XD Just in case you guys need some clarification, past!Yuuki's parents are Haruka and Juuri while current!Yuuki's parents were just regular humans. I didn't know if I explained that adequately :P More plot twists and craziness to come, so stay tuned. And, as usual, please drop a review if you enjoyed the chap, please! I only got two reviews for last chapter T-T *sniffle*

-Isis


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